Dark and Deep
by JennyJoy4
Summary: Sequel to That is the Question. Katie finds herself back in Middle Earth to spend some time with her old friends and make some new ones. But there is danger lurking in the forest. COMPLETE!
1. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

It was a lovely October evening, and Katie was headed toward the playing fields.

Dana had a soccer match, and Katie had promised to come and see the end of it after she got off work. She had plenty of time, though, so she took the long way around.

Ever since four of her friends from Middle Earth had suddenly appeared in the middle of girl's dorm last spring, she had been more aware of her environment, and specifically, of the lack of nature in her environment. This had led her to explore areas she had not been in before, particularly the area around Watson College.

Because Watson had a big equestrian program, there was plenty of pasture for the horses, and the first time Katie had come out here for a walk, she had simply followed the fences. Since then she had explored the many winding paths that cut through the woods in that area, and had even gotten herself partially lost a few times (although she always managed to find her way out again in about half an hour).

She wasn't going through the woods today, though. She thought she would simply stick to the dirt road that wound its way past the barns and around the pastures, eventually ending at the soccer field.

It was a pretty nice day out, and she wore her usual clothes—a pair of sneakers, jeans, a cute t-shirt and her gray zip hoody, her brown, curly hair in a ponytail. The hoody was currently unzipped, and she had pushed the sleeves up above her elbows in the pleasant air.

Her stomach rumbled. Usually she and Megan, her roommate, ate dinner around this time. She shrugged and kept walking, observing the way her sneakers flashed beneath her on the dirt. _Crunch, crunch, crunch…_

…And then a sound that didn't belong, a sound that made Katie's head snap up. Bells.

She didn't even have time to stop in her tracks, but her next footfall made a different kind of crunch. Her foot slid out from beneath her, and in her sudden disorientation, she lost her balance and landed in an ungraceful heap on her backside.

…In something cold and wet.

_Snow_.

Katie stared about her, dazed. She was in some kind of forest, and from the way the light was coming through the trees, she assumed the sun must be going down. And there was snow on the ground, a few inches deep. She herself happened to be sitting in a pile of it.

With a grimace, she rubbed her bottom. She had managed to land right on top of some kind of object, a tree root or something, and it _hurt_.

Katie picked herself up and examined the dent she had made in the snow. In the bottom of it lay an object, and she picked it up. It was a small wooden pendant on a leather thong. Absently, Katie stuck it in her hoody pocket and looked around again.

She was next to some kind of road or path through the woods—she couldn't tell if it were dirt or not, as it was covered with snow, like everything else.

She had a feeling this was not new-fallen snow. She had been in a wood while it was snowing before, and it had a kind of atmosphere—an absolute stillness and silence while the snow fell. This didn't have the same feeling. And no snow clung to the branches of the trees, while the snow on the ground, judging from the bit she had sat down in, was very wet and clumpy, as if it had been there at least a day.

And another thing: it was usually just about freezing when snow fell. And judging from the feel of it, it was a good deal colder here.

Katie shivered and pulled the sleeves of her hoody down over her fingers. The gentle October breeze of Pennsylvania had been pleasantly cool; the breeze here was maddeningly frigid. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and let it hang loose for extra insulation, pulling her hood up over her head and tightening it up with the drawstrings. Her legs stung with the cold as her wet pants rubbed against them, and she knew it wouldn't be long before her feet would be in the same condition as the snow seeped into her sneakers. She should start walking and find some shelter as quickly as possible.

But where was there shelter?

For that matter, where the heck _was_ she?

She had automatically assumed she was back in Middle Earth, but what if she wasn't? What if she had ended up someplace completely different? What if she walked for miles and miles and finally froze to death?

She shook herself sternly. There was absolutely no reason to go off in a panic; it would only make things worse. This was a road. Logically, it must lead to somewhere. She would follow it toward the setting sun, so she at least knew that she would be traveling in a westward direction. She could almost hear Elrohir's voice in her head—"Ilúvatar never does anything without a purpose. You just have to trust him." She started walking.

000

It was two hours later, she was still trudging westward down the same road in the snow, and she was completely sick of trusting Ilúvatar, sick of the stupid, slick snow that made her slip and nearly fall several times, sick of the stupid, freezing cold breeze that kept nipping her face and burning her eyes, and sick of the dark. It was well past sunset now, and she found herself picking her way down the road by moonlight. She had never had very good vision in dim light, and she kept misplacing her feet, mistaking certain shadows for the texture of the snow, thinking she saw dips in the road where really there were none. She was weary, footsore, her feet were soaking wet along with her pants, and she was absolutely freezing. She was sure that if anyone came on her now, they would think she was an old hag—hunched over, the hood over her head, shivering and blinking her eyes to keep them clear around the cold breeze that blew into them. She was almost ready to cry with frustration and fatigue.

A sudden sound pierced the air and made Katie stop in her tracks and look up. It was a wolf's howl—a long, drawn-out sound that sounded half terrifying and half beautiful. Katie had never heard one before, at least not one that wasn't recorded. It was one thing to hear it on the background of a piece of New Age music; it was something else entirely to hear it for yourself in the middle of a still, snow-covered forest.

For a moment, she felt her heart lift in excitement at the new experience. Then her eyes widened. She remembered something Legolas had told her about the wolves in Middle Earth. Some of them were intelligent—they called them "wargs". And they were evil. They _ate_ people, just like Little Red Riding Hood come true.

Another howl sounded, and Katie jumped, her eyes suddenly wide in something close to fear. She turned toward the noise—

And there was another. She jumped and peered around, trying to still her breathing. That had sounded closer—

And another howl sounded, a little too close for comfort.

Katie's legs didn't wait for her brain to confirm the order. They simply ran.

For a minute or two she flew over the snow as if she had wings, as if her feet didn't even touch the ground. Soon, though, her little rush of adrenaline began to take its toll on her, and she began breathing hard, slipping and stumbling in the snow.

Finally, she stopped running, crowing for breath. She could no longer hear the wolves, and she hoped that meant they had moved in a different direction and not that they were now stalking her.

Katie wasn't just shivering now, she was shaking with the remains of her fear and with fatigue. She moved over to a tree beside the road and sank down into the snow, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her head on them, trying to catch her breath. Logically, she knew it was a stupid thing to do, that she would now be colder and wetter than ever, and it would take her even longer to get to civilization, but at the moment, she felt she could do nothing else. She was freezing, she was exhausted, and she just wanted to cry or sleep.

She was only there for ten minutes, when she was roused by a sound she didn't at first recognize. It was a crunching, like someone walking in the snow, but the rhythm was wrong—_two_ people in the snow perhaps.

Or maybe one wolf.

She shrank into herself at the thought. She couldn't run; the wolf would see her! But if she stayed here and it smelled her…

But then she heard another sound, halfway between a jingle and click—metal on metal. And then a snort.

It was a _horse_!

And where there was a horse, there was sure to be a rider. Who would it be? Katie didn't know where she was, or even what _world_ she was in! Would the rider be friendly? She shuddered to imagine the alternative.

The horse and rider were drawing up opposite her. Very, very slowly, barely daring to breath, she turned her head and looked up in the moonlight at the rider, so high above her on his white horse. His face was shadowed by the hood of the cape he wore. He seemed to have been following her tracks in the snow, and was now startled to see his quarry sitting in the snow. He pulled the horse up and pulled off his hood.

Squinting at his face in the maze of shadow and moonlight, Katie tried desperately to make out his features.

"_Katie_?" he said incredulously, and Katie suddenly knew him.

"_Glawar_?"

**TBC**

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AN: Slightly shorter than my usual chapters, but definitely the best place to break in between. I've been wanting to write this chapter ever since the idea came to me, probably a month ago, but I've been a good girl and made myself finish the first sequel before I started on the second. :)**

**Ravens Destiny**: Wow, what in the first paragraph tipped you off that it was the end? The high school auditorium is exactly where my studio performs. :) Eesh, I've done some crazy stuff on stage, but nothing that was actually embarrassing or painful. Of course, the first year my teacher put on a real ballet, during the second performance, one of the soloists fell and broke her arm on stage…

**Erusuithiel**: Well, more than a trilogy if I can manage it! I'm thinking at least four in the series, and most probably more. I don't know why Chapter 12 won't come up for you; **can anybody help her out? **Yep, a hoover is a vacuum cleaner. I have no idea what the Elvish meant, but I'll take it as a compliment. :)

**Hermione Heart**: Thank you! I'm awfully proud of being able to actually finish a couple… If you look at the rest of my stories, you'll see I have a bit of a problem with that!

**EresseElrondiel**: Congratulations!

**Coollilyflower**: As you see!

**theycallmemary**: No, I think I'm pretty much finished with the save-a-life routine, and now I must come up with something different!

Thank you also to **Laer4572**, **RenegadeKitsune**, **Fk306**, and **werewolflemming**. I heart you all!

**Please review! **


	2. StormCrow

Glawar swung easily down off his horse as Katie climbed stiffly to her feet and stuffed her hands back into her armpits, where they were warm.

"Katie Elf-friend," Glawar greeted her formally, with a bow as she bounced up and down before him. "What are you doing out here?" He pulled off his cloak and draped it over her shoulders, fastening it at her throat for her.

"I d-don't know," she answered through chattering teeth, "but am I ever g-glad to see you! I feel b-bad taking your c-cloak; won't you need it?"

"Elves are not hurt by the cold as humans are," Glawar reassured her.

"Lucky elves," Katie muttered.

Glawar heard her and laughed, then picked her up without warning and set her lightly on the horse.

"We must get you back to Imladris and get you warm!" he said, swinging easily up behind her. Gripping her with one arm, he took the reins with the other hand and commanded the horse into a canter. Katie would normally have been embarrassed by being put in such a position, but as she _was_ awfully cold and it was comforting sitting where she was, she didn't demure. It made it easier that Glawar didn't seem at all self-conscious or awkward about the situation.

"I saw your tracks suddenly appear by the road quite a way back and followed them," Glawar explained. "Why did you suddenly stop and then take to your heels?"

"I heard some wolves," Katie answered, pulling her hood a little closer to protect herself from the bite of the wind rushing in her face. "Legolas told me wolves around here sometimes eat people."

Glawar chuckled, but not meanly. "Sometimes they do, but wargs are much more common out in Mirkwood than they are in this area. The wolves you heard were normal animals."

"Well, I wasn't about to stand around and find out if they were or not!" Katie retorted with acidic humor.

Glawar laughed again, and they both fell silent.

Finally, Katie spoke up, asking something that had been on her mind almost since their opportune meeting. "What were you doing all the way out here?"

"I was on patrol," Glawar answered easily.

Katie's brow furrowed. She had heard nothing about patrols while she was in Rivendell before. She had heard Elrond's family discuss the guards and other groups of people who served the elven community, but patrols had never been mentioned. Why would there be patrols now?

In a short time, they reached the Bruinen. Katie had only ever crossed it once—or at least, she could only _remember_ crossing it once. She had been unconscious the first time. She was amazed to see that it was still flowing, and wondered if the horse would catch its death of cold by wading through the ford. The waters came up over her feet and ankles, and she was surprised to realize that the water actually felt rather _warm_!

"It's not cold," she said in amazement as the horse climbed out the other side.

"No, Lord Elrond did not want to freeze the patrol's horses," Glawar agreed. "So he warmed the water at the ford."

Katie's eyes grew big. She supposed that his power over the water must have something to do with Vilya, his ring—but she hadn't realized it was powerful enough to warm up an entire section of river in the middle of winter!

In comparison to her little jaunt in the woods, it was a pretty short ride from the ford to Rivendell and the House of Elrond. They rode directly to the stable yard, where a stablehand took charge of Glawar's horse. He also greeted Katie formally, but she could only managed a small smile and a nod in return.

Glawar lifted her down from the horse and bustled her into the house. He led her down the corridors, most of which Katie was too distracted to notice, and knocked on a door.

A voice called back in Elvish, and Glawar opened the door and bowed to the room's occupant. "My lord, I encountered a traveler on patrol and have brought her back to Rivendell."

"A traveler?" the voice answered. "Who would be about in the woods at night?"

Katie peeked around Glawar to see Lord Elrond pace out from behind his desk. At the sight of her, he stopped for a moment, then smiled broadly.

"Katelyn Elf-friend!" he exclaimed, coming forward to embrace her. "Oh, but you are frozen through!" He took her arm and led her over to a couch in front of the fireplace and made her sit down on it.

"Thanks," she managed to say through stiff lips.

He turned back and exchanged a few words with Glawar in Elvish as Katie rubbed her hands and held them out to the fireplace. It was so nice to be someplace warm and comfortable, where she knew the people would take care of her.

Glawar left the room and Elrond came back and pulled up a chair by the couch. "So Ilúvatar has brought you to us again, I see," he said kindly, his eyes smiling.

"Yes. And he must have one heck of a sense of humor. The first thing I did when I arrived was slip and land directly in a snowbank."

Elrond smiled. "Well, a room is being prepared for you, and we will get you into warm, dry clothes soon enough."

"Thank you," she answered sincerely. "I'm feeling warmer already."

000

Elladan heard voices raised in exclamation down the hall. Leaving his sitting room, he strode down the hall toward the guest rooms and peeked in one of the doorways. Two _ellith_ were putting bedding on the bare bed, while chattering excitedly to Glawar, who was helping by lighting a fire in the bedroom hearth.

"What is all the excitement?" he asked them in Elvish.

They all turned toward him. "Your friend has returned, my lord," Glawar said, grinning.

"My friend?"

"Katie Elvellon," Glawar clarified, standing and brushing off his hands. "I found her on the Great Road on the other side of the Bruinen, half-frozen through."

Elladan's eyes grew wide as he heard this pronouncement. "Katie?.! Where is she now?"

"With your father. He should be bringing her down soon."

One of the _ellith_ excused herself and slipped past him, heading down toward the kitchen. The other, Lithorniel, was pulling some blankets off of a shelf in the closet.

"I must go tell Elrohir," Elladan said, and headed down the hall.

He knocked on his brother's door. "Come," Elrohir called.

Elladan opened the door and stuck his head in. His brother looked up from the book he was reading. "Shame on you, Elrohir, not coming to greet our guest," Elladan scolded, grinning from ear to ear.

"Our guest?" Elrohir asked, bemused. "_What_ guest?"

"Come and see," Elladan answered, and led him back to the guest rooms.

"Elladan, you know we expected no guest tonight," Elrohir continued as he followed him. "Who would come to Rivendell in the middle of a cold snap like this?"

"Someone who has a tendency to show up in strange places at strange times," Elladan answered mysteriously.

"Mithrandir?"

Elladan laughed. "No, no. Completely off. Looks nothing like Mithrandir, and would probably be a bit insulted that you implied it."

"You are having altogether too much fun with this," Elrohir muttered, but his brother could tell he was amused.

When they reached Katie's room, Lithorniel was bustling about, clucking like a mother hen while she wrapped a warm blanket about a familiar-looking figure sitting by the fire.

"Katie!" Elrohir exclaimed and came forward to give her a hug.

"Elrohir!" She unhesitatingly threw her arms around him. Elrond looked on, smiling. "Elladan!" she added, hugging him as well.

"My goodness, Glawar was not exaggerating! You really are half-frozen through!" Elladan declared, hugging her back. He tucked the blanket more tightly around her. "How long were you outside in this cold?"

"Too long," she said succinctly. "I'm hardly dressed to be trompin' around in the snow." She pushed the heels of her shoes off with her feet and tucked her stockinged toes up under the blanket to warm them. "I feel like an icicle." The other _elleth_ returned with a warm drink, which Katie took with a grateful thank you. "I arrived at about sunset," she continued, sipping her drink. Then she yawned widely.

"We should leave you to go to bed," Elrond said, beginning to herd his sons out of the room.

"I'd argue with you, but I'm too tired to bother," Katie said with a half-smile. "What with trying to pick my way in the dark and running from wolves…"

"Running from wolves?.!" the twins both exclaimed at once.

Elrond and Katie laughed. "It can wait for the morning," Elrond told them, pleasantly but firmly. "Sleep well," he added to Katie over his shoulder.

"Thank you," Katie called back before Elrond gently shut the door.

"It is good to see her again," Elrohir said joyously. "I did not know if we ever would."

"It is a shame that Legolas has returned to Mirkwood," Elladan added as the three of them headed down the hall. "I know he would like to see her, as well."

"Well, she will get to meet some other members of the household this time," Elrond said, joining the conversation. "I know Erestor, for one, will be interested to hear her side of our tales."

"Yes." Elrohir fell silent a moment. "I hope her arrival does not forebode some coming calamity. If a pattern is created, our people may begin to call her Storm-Crow as some men call Mithrandir!"

**TBC**

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AN:** Mmm… Not the best way I've ever ended a chappie, but 'twill have to do. :) 

_ellith_: feminine plural of "elf". Fem sing: _elleth_. Masc sing: _ellon_. Masc. plural: _ellyn_. Got that?. :)

_Elvellon_: Elf-friend

_Mithrandir_ is the Sindarin name for Gandalf.

**Ravens Destiny:** True, there really was no where to go with the plot anymore (except for the whole grandma-breaking-her-neck thing…). Do tell, what does smiggle mean? I know huggle and glomp, but not smiggle. :)

**Hermione at Heart:** lol I'm glad I make you so happy!

**Eclecticbabe:** On the subject of the bells: It's like Tolkein found things that made no sense in his works, instead of changing them, he came up with explanations for them. I guess changing from the atmosphere of one world to another causes some interesting anomalies in the air pressure, which create a sound like bells, both to the person doing the inter-dimensionary travel and to those in the immediate area. :) You'll learn more about the second question as time goes on. I promise you, there actually _is_ a good answer for that one.

**EresseElrondiel:** Oh no, you didn't trip going across the stage, did you?

**theycallmemary:** Yes, the term MElings is officially going back in the drawer—unless I decide to bring them back to Pennsylvania, but I'm not planning on it at present. And perhaps if I do I'll leave Estel at home so I can just call them elves. lol

**Idontletschoolgetinthewayofmyedu:** (cool name, btw) That's precisely my reasoning. Be nice to the reviewers, and they'll be nice to you. lol jk! No, I honestly love getting reviews so much, I want to express that appreciation to my readers, and the best way I've found is by replying! I also like talking to you guys in real time on IM. Thanks!

**ThoseRainyDays:** Sequel! Sequel! Sequel! —laughs— I'm going to have to start randomly singing that to Roomie and see if she gives me funny looks… She probably will, but she's getting used to me now. :)

**IwishChan:** Yay, another reader! And one that actually didn't get bored half-way through and quit! —does a little dance— lol Welcome aboard!

Thanks also to **Coollilyflower **and **werewolflemming**!

Did you know you can now send electronic warm fuzzies? Just **click the little lavender button** to make a poor fanfic writer's day!


	3. Greetings

Elladan and Elrohir met in the hall outside Katie's room the next morning. Nodding a greeting, they both headed for her door. Just as they reached it, it opened and Lithorniel stepped out, having just built up the fire against the winter chill.

"Is she awake?" Elladan whispered.

"No."

"Excellent." Elrohir smirked. "Is it safe to go in?"

"Yes, but I can tell you from past experience, it may _not_ be safe to wake her up…"

Elladan stifled a chuckle. "We are brave and mighty warriors. We laugh in the face of danger!"

"Just do not laugh in the face of a groggy nineteen-year-old, my lord," Lithorniel said with a demure smile and curtsey, and left them.

Cautioning each other with hand signals to keep quiet, the twins silently opened Katie's door and peered around the doorframe.

Katie lay on her stomach with her face turned toward the wall, one arm tucked under her pillow and the other hanging over the edge of the bed. Elrohir wondered how she could ever sleep in such an uncomfortable position.

They crept over to the side of her bed with exaggerated caution.

Elrohir opened his mouth and filled his lungs to say something very loud and waggish in her ear, but she beat him to the punch.

"Whoever that is planning to scare me, I'm awake already and I can hear you chortling under your breath."

Both of the twins cracked up at once. Katie rolled over to ascertain the identity of her would-be attackers.

"Oh _God_, not you two," she muttered in utter disgust. "Don't you have any respect for the dead?"

"Come, come, you're not dead," Elladan said. Katie rolled back over onto her stomach and put her pillow over her head. Elladan continued innocently, "Although, if you do not rise immediately, we could make sure you wake by dragging you out of bed and tossing you outside in the snow. And then you would _wish_ you were dead."

"Wish _we_ were dead is more like it," Elrohir muttered.

"Katie peeked out from under the pillow and stared at Elladan hard with her left eye. "You wouldn't."

"Try us."

Katie's left eye narrowed.

"You leave us no choice. Elrohir, take her feet—"

"Alright! Alright! I'm up!" Katie shrieked.

"Good." Elrohir smiled at her smugly as the two of them headed back toward the door. "Dress quickly! We want to hear the story of your escape from the wargs last night." He shut the door before Katie could reply, but they heard her incensed squawk through the wood paneling.

000

A little indignation must have given Katie fuel to get up faster, because she opened the door after less than ten minutes, fully conscious _and_ fully dressed, albeit with her hair uncombed. The twins entered and took seats by the fire.

"Where's Estel?" Katie asked, plopping down on the couch she had occupied the night before and pulling a comb through her tangled hair.

"Asleep," Elrohir answered casually.

Katie narrowed her eyes. "You let _him_ sleep in and you made _me_, who walked miles in the snow last night in just jeans and a sweatshirt, get up early?"

"Of course! We had no need to ask _him_ about his near escape from the vicious wargs of Imladris!" Elladan answered dramatically.

Katie rolled her eyes. "Glawar told you, huh?"

"No; Glawar told Lithorniel, who told us."

"Lithorniel?"

"Yes. When she returned his cloak."

"Ohhhh, right," Katie said, nodding. "I forgot about that."

Elrohir shifted into a more comfortable position in his chair. "So you arrived in the middle of the forest along the Great Road at sunset?"

"Yes." Katie yawned widely. "And yes, I agree that Ilúvatar works in mysterious ways, and no, I have no idea why he did that. But there it is."

"And the wargs?" Elladan teased, impatiently.

Katie threw her hands in the air in exasperation, causing her to lose hold of her comb. It flung halfway across the room, and she started to laugh. Elrohir jumped up and retrieved it for her.

"Thanks. Okay, I was walking down the road in the freezing cold and the dark and I had no idea where the heck I was, but I figured I might be in Middle Earth, and I heard wolves howling, which I had never heard before, and I was a bit creeped out, and I remembered Legolas having said that some wolves in Middle Earth are evil and eat people, and it scared me half to death and I ran away. There. Happy?"

Elrohir actually looked a little concerned. "I am sorry you were frightened," he said. "Legolas should have told you that they are not very common around Rivendell."

Katie waved it off. "That's alright. Like I said, I wasn't even sure it was Rivendell I was approaching. Tell you the truth, the scariest part was probably when Glawar rode up and I didn't know who he was. I was so relieved to see a familiar face, I can't even tell you!" She suddenly sneezed.

Elladan pulled a handkerchief out of his sleeve and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she replied thickly, and blew her nose.

"Come, we want you to meet some people before breakfast," Elladan said, standing. "And we ought to wake Estel." He smiled mischievously. "He doesn't know you are here."

"He somehow managed to miss all the excitement last night and went to bed before anybody could tell him," Elrohir explained as they headed down the hall.

They repeated the same performance of sneaking into Estel's room, only this time, Katie hid at the foot of Estel's bed.

"Come on, Estel, wake up," Elladan said, shaking his human brother.

Estel muttered something and pulled the blanket over his head. Katie clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing aloud.

"Get up, Estel, there's someone here to see you," Elrohir continued, pulling the blanket away.

"Go 'way," Estel growled, then paused. "Who?"

"Wake up and see, Master Slugabed!" Elrohir exclaimed.

Estel sat up, grumbling unintelligibly under the breath. He glared up at his brothers through half-opened eyes. "Now. _Who_ is here to see me?"

Katie sprang up at the foot of his bed. "Surprise!"

Estel jumped, then stared. "_Katie?_"

"In the flesh!" she declared, "hand-delivered by the powers that be, and freeze-dried for your convenience."

He jumped out of bed and gave her a quick hug, his brilliant smile much in evidence. "Did you just arrive this morning?"

"No; last night. In the middle of the woods. In the dark," she said tersely and bitterly.

"Surrounded by wargs," Elrohir added seriously.

"Wargs?" Estel turned large eyes on him. "But there _aren't_ any… Oh." He shook his head at Elrohir with a grin. "You are incorrigible."

"I know." Elrohir smiled right back. "Go on, get dressed for breakfast! We have to go introduce Katie to Erestor."

"Who's Erestor?" Katie asked as they led her down another corridor, nodding to elves as they passed.

"Father's chief counselor," Elladan explained. "He was away in Lórien the last time you were here."

"And how long ago was that, by you calendar? It's been six months or so since you guys came to Pennsylvania."

"Much the same here," Elrohir replied. "Our hunting expedition was successful, and Legolas soon departed for Mirkwood. On our way back to Rivendell, we were accosted by orcs. Estel proved himself a mighty warrior and slew many of the foe, for which deed he was much honored by our father. On our return we discovered that Erestor and the others had returned from Lothlórien. Erestor had been much intrigued by our father's letter concerning your stay in Imladris, and has positively _badgered_ us with questions about you! We are hoping that once he meets you, he will ask _you_ his thousand unanswerable questions and leave us alone."

Katie laughed at the jibe, but the smile she turned on him was joyful. With an exaggeratedly contented sigh, she exclaimed, "I just love the way you guys talk." The twins laughed, and she continued. "You said, 'Erestor and the others'. _What_ others?"

Elladan smiled secretively. "You will find out soon enough."

Katie rolled her eyes with a chuckle, but was saved from thinking up a retort as they entered Elrond's study. Elrond and another elf rose from their seats by the fire and greeted the three younger beings. After the flurry of salutations, Elrond said, "Erestor, may I introduce Katelyn Elvellon, the one you have heard so much about. Katie, this is Erestor, my chief advisor."

Katie managed a not entirely clumsy curtsey as Erestor bowed politely. "Elladan and Elrohir have probably told you that I am quite interested in hearing about you and your world," he said kindly and enthusiastically. "I hope I may speak extensively with you later?"

"Of course," Katie said, smiling in a friendly manner.

"Ah, here she comes," Elrond said happily, and they all turned toward the door.

The figure entered, and Katie stifled a gasp.

**TBC**

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AN:** Dun dun dunnn!. :) 

**Laer4573:** Thank you; you relieve my mind. :)

**IwishChan:** There he is!

**theycallmemary:** I know, it lowered the dramatics a bit. But don't worry, she'll get her share of angst later. —smiles wickedly and knowingly—

**werewolflemming:** How did the test go?

**lunelwe:** Sorry, no Legolas in this one. Substituted Erestor and our mystery elf instead; I didn't want to have to juggle too many characters at once. I know, I'm lazy. But I adore Legolas to eensy weensy bits, so he'll be back in a sequel.

**RavensDestiny:** I know I at least read partway through OFUM and enjoyed it highly, particularly Frodo and Sam's lecture on platonic friendship. :) Must go back and read some more.

**AlabrithGaiamoon:** lol!

**EresseElrondiel:** What was the teacher talking about you for? I'm sorry you didn't have a good time. You should have kicked the guy; now that you're out of school they can't suspend you! jk "Fanfic updates are like brief glimmers of light amid the torrent of dark exams." My thoughts exactly on reviews! Except it's a torrent of dark _boredom_ in my case…

**Erasuithiel:** Yeppers, that's Glawar! I really like him, so I brought him back for some more! lol I'm so happy to see everyone so thrilled! I'm glad you guys like reading this stuff as much as I like writing it!

**ThoseRainyDays:** Yessss twinsy goodness…

Thanks also to **Doredhiel** and **Fk306**!

**Please leave me _a brief glimmer of light amid the torrent of dark boredom_**, and I will leave you another update!. :)


	4. Whose Woods These Are

Katie stared in amazement as an exquisitely beautiful elf-maiden came in the study, her raven-black hair flowing behind her and her sapphire eyes glowing. "Good morning, _Ada_," she said pleasantly, giving her father a peck on the cheek. He gave her a kiss back. "Good morning, _muindyr-nín_, she continued, exchanging a kiss on the cheek with each of the twins, who replied with a "Good morning, _muinthel-nín_." "Erestor," she added, nodding pleasantly to the counselor, who nodded back.

"Arwen, may we introduce Katie Elvellon, whom you have heard so much about," Elladan said politely. "Katie, this is our sister, Arwen."

Katie managed to stop gaping long enough to drop a confused curtsey and say, "Pleased to meet you."

Elrond and Erestor left inconspicuously in order to discuss something, leaving the younger beings to their conversation.

"I am so glad to finally meet you," Arwen was saying enthusiastically to Katie. "Anyone who can discomfit Legolas as my brothers tell me you do is someone I would dearly love to talk to!"

Katie laughed. Elrohir reflected that while his sister's beauty of form and spirit gained her the respect of many, she also had a decided knack for putting people immediately at their ease. She had the true nature of the elves, to be so wise and knowing on one hand and able to be so completely silly and joyful on the other. Much like Vivian, come to think of it.

Estel appeared in the doorway and greeted them formally. "Ah, Estel," Elladan said. "Well, shall we go to breakfast, then?"

"There are more people here than there were," Katie observed as they entered the dining hall.

"Yes, many of our people were in Lothlórien with me, and have returned for awhile," Arwen explained.

Elladan pulled a chair out for his sister and Elrohir did the same for Katie, who seemed momentarily surprised at such treatment. It had taken her a long time to become accustomed to such simple courtesies the last time she was in Imladris, and Elrohir imagined it would take her a few days to become used to it again. It was indeed true that they had seen very little evidence of that kind of courtesy toward females while they were in Pennsylvania, but then again, they had been at a women's college, where there were few males for them to observe.

After breakfast, Elladan turned to Katie. "I'm afraid my brothers and I must go out on patrol for most of today, but Arwen said she would like to get to know you better."

"Yes," Arwen spoke up from her other side. "My brothers tell me you have only had a cursory glance over the house, and since there is snow on the ground, I thought you might like to have a more in-depth tour."

"Yes, please," Katie said excitedly. "Despite staying here for a little over a week the last time, I really did not see the entire house."

"Well that's settled then, Elrohir said pleasantly, as he and his brothers rose from the table. "We will see you on our return."

"Stay safe!" Arwen told them. The twins each kissed one of her cheeks and bowed to Katie, and Estel bowed respectfully to them both.

"Well, shall we?" Arwen said to Katie, who agreed. They rose from the table, and the _ellyn_ stood politely. Arwen and Katie took leave of Lord Elrond and the others and left the dining hall.

"This is the front hall," Arwen said, gesturing to the large, open room they had entered, "and the main staircase. You have seen these already, have you not?"

"Yes. But I'm curious: what is that painting of?" she asked, pointing to a large framed landscape on one wall.

"Glorfindel slaying the Balrog," Arwen said reverently. "He saved Tuor and Idril and their child Eärendil in the siege of Gondolin and fell to his death in Cirith Thoronath. Eärendil was my father's father."

Katie looked thoughtful for a moment. "The morning and evening star, right?" she asked tentatively.

Arwen laughed in surprise. "My brothers taught you that?"

"Yes. They tried to teach me about the Silmarils as well, but I got lost in all the F names and, well…"

Arwen nodded understandingly with a wry smile. "Finrod, Fingon, Fingolfin and Finwe?"

"Among others," Katie concurred dryly.

"I think Erestor would make a much better tutor than either of my brothers. He and my father educated all three of us—and Estel as well, I imagine." They began to walk on down a passageway. Arwen explained a few more paintings and tapestries and explained the uses of a couple of the rooms Katie wasn't familiar with.

Arwen glanced down at this friend of her brothers'. They had told her all about the young girl and their adventures with her, both in Middle-Earth and in her own world. It was so very strange! After all, the elves in general regarded stories of other worlds as complete fiction, a thing for children to make-believe, and nothing more. It was hard to reconcile that deeply-held belief with Katie's appearance. Furthermore, it was well known that the spirits of the elves traveled not beyond the bounds of Arda—how then was it possible that her brothers and Legolas had survived the journey to Katie's world? Legolas in particular. She and her brothers counted themselves elves and lived as elves, but there were many differences between themselves and full-blooded _Edhil_. They and their father were built more on the lines of men than of elves—slightly shorter, a little less slim. They also did not have quite the same keen senses as the general run of elves, and a few other differences that marked their mixed heritage. Even the Dúnedain, with whom her brothers had ridden out countless times since their mother sailed, counted them as men, and some called her father _Elvellon_ rather than _Edhel_.

Katie was as silent as Arwen herself, apparently contemplating something. Finally she spoke.

"You said you guessed that Estel had been educated by your father and Erestor. Don't you know for sure?" she asked.

It took a moment for Arwen to realize what she was driving at. "No; I was not here to see Estel grow up. I have been visiting our mother's kin in the woods of Lothlórien for many summers now. I only met Estel a few months ago." And what a very interesting meeting it had been.

"Oh. So you weren't here when he was born?"

"No. But he was not born here. My brothers brought Estel and his mother here after his father's death at the hand of orcs. He was two at the time. His mother, Gilraen, was rather young, as well. My father took them in and raised Estel like a son."

"Ah." It was obvious Katie had never heard this story before.

Arwen stopped in front of a particular door. "This is Erestor's study. I know he would like to speak with you; do you want to go in?"

"Sure," Katie agreed cheerfully, and Arwen knocked.

"Come," Erestor answered in Elvish, and they went in.

"Arwen, Katie! Welcome," he said, rising from his desk and gesturing to some comfortable chairs. "Please! be seated. I have so many questions to ask you about your world, Katie, that I almost do not know where to start!"

Katie glanced at Arwen, who spoke for her. "I have been showing Katie around the house, and she has admitted to me that my brothers attempted to teach her some of the Silmarillion and failed. Perhaps she could tell you about her world, and in exchange you could teach her about ours?"

"That is an excellent idea, _híril-nín_," Erestor agreed. "Would you like me to teach you about Arda?"

Katie nodded shyly. "Yes please," she answered happily.

000

The twins and Estel strode through the halls of their father's house, stripping off their gloves as they went.

"There has been no sign of the perpetrators for two weeks, ever since this cold snap began," Elrohir was saying to the other two. "I think perhaps we can suggest to Adar and Glorfindel that they reduce or remove the patrol, at least until it becomes warmer again. These men know better than to attempt anything in this cold."

"I agree," Estel said seriously. "There has been no activity in the forest since before the snow fell."

They fell silent for a moment, unclasping and pulling off their cloaks. "Well I, for one, am quite ready for dinner," Elladan said cheerfully. "Let us go and dress for it."

Estel nodded emphatically. "I agree with you whole-heartedly, brother!"

Elrohir clapped him on the back with a little laugh. "Poor Estel! We so often forget that you feel the cold more than an elf."

A smile was the only answer he received, for at that moment they met up with Lithorniel. The three greeted her cheerfully. "Have you seen Katie?" Elladan asked.

"She has been in the company of Erestor and your sister all day," the maid replied before taking her leave.

"Good," Elrohir commented, "Arwen will have enjoyed keeping her company, I think."

The three went to their quarters to change for dinner, and as they headed toward the hall, they met Arwen and Katie, with Erestor and Glorfindel chatting behind them.

"_Mae govannen, muindyr-nín_!" Arwen exclaimed in greeting. Elrohir chummily put his arm around his sister's shoulders, and Elladan offered Katie his arm. "Did the patrol meet any trouble?"

"None at all, _muinthel-nín_," Elrohir answered blithely. "This cold has scared them off, I think."

"Yes, it is indeed bitterly cold out," Erestor observed. "It has been many long years since snow has lain on the ground for this many days."

"I do not know that I have ever in my twenty years seen snow in Imladris last more than two days, and for it to snow at all here is rare," Estel agreed.

Katie frowned. "So this weather is unusual for you?" she asked.

"Yes indeed," Arwen said. "The weather in Rivendell is generally more temperate than this. Is it otherwise in Pennsylvania?"

"Yes, I think Pennsylvania is probably hotter in the summer and colder in the winter than Imladris," Katie said, pronouncing the Elvish name carefully. Erestor smiled. "Just last year we had a blizzard—a big snowstorm," she clarified, realizing they wouldn't recognize the term. "We had a little over three feet of snow in a day or two, and it stayed on the ground for a week and a half."

They had come to the dining hall by this time and went to take their seats at Elrond's table. Elrohir pulled a chair out for Arwen and Elladan for Katie. Erestor leaned over to her as he took his own seat.

"Perhaps I could teach you a bit of Elvish as well?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

Katie's face lit up. "That'd be great!"

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN:** Phew! That was hard to finish!—as I'm sure you could tell by how long it took me to update… Honestly! I work on fanfiction just about every day! I sit down at the computer, pull up the document, stare at it for a few minutes, then decide I have writer's block and go off and do something else. lol 

**EresseElrondiel**: Wow, that _is_ a tiny class! Ours was 239. They actually did say something about me, though, because I gave one of the commencement speeches. I don't remember what they said, but I remembered I thought it was really funny what they put in and what they didn't mention.

**crazycatluver**: lol I know _exactly_ how that goes! My roomie gives me the funniest looks if I'm sitting at my computer and suddenly start cracking up! I really missed her the other day because I was reading Camilla Sandman's "Official Fanfiction University of Middle-earth" and laughing my head off and she wasn't there to look at me funny. —sighs— I miss my dorm room.

**IwishChan**: I think he was just in another part of the house when all the commotion was going on, and then managed to go to bed without being informed.

**Hermione at Heart**: Heh… —laughs nervously— Well, I wasn't so great at updating fast _this _time…

**werewolflemming**: August? That sucks. Sounds like AP tests, where you take 'em in April or May and don't get the results until July…

**Fk306**: Good guess!

**Erasuithiel**: Actually, I did think for a little while about bringing one of her high school or college friends to Middle Earth with her, but I decided it would be a little too Mary-Sue. Although, with nobody in our world having read LotR in this version, it might be interesting. Yes, I'm glad everybody liked the "freeze-dried for your convenience" line; it was so much fun to write! Where am I getting these ideas? Oh dear. From my waaaaaaaay over-active imagination, I think. Some situations just pop into my head like little daydreams—for instance, the first chapter of this story—and then I decide I have to incorporate them into my stories. Which leads to problems, because I end up having to fill in plot and exciting chapters in between the stuff I've got figured out. That's most of my problem with writer's block. It's also why these stories end up so short.

**Ravens Destiny**: Good guess! Oh dear, you got fired? That _really_ sucks. Hope I can continue to cheer you up!

**Laer4572**: Another good guess! Lazy and smart often go hand-in-hand, I believe. :) George Bernard Shaw said, "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." In the same way, we got most of our inventions by lazy people who wanted to make life easier for themselves—just look at the dishwasher!. :)

**lunelwe**: You're right!

**Doredhiel**: Mmm… —munches cookies—

If you guys have ever wondered why I put dashes instead of asterisks, or put periods between an ! and a ? or between a ! or ? and a :) it's because is very very weird about punctuation and deletes some marks if you don't please it.

My computer's name is Fred, but he has been acting so possessed lately, I'm considering re-christening him "Legion"... Had to reboot the dumb thing twice in half in hour this morning.

While you are waiting for my next update, let me recommend Camilla Sandman's "Official Fanfiction University of Middle-earth", which I've been re-reading lately. Incredibly funny.

And as you are composing your **review**, let me leave you with this little gem of wisdom: "Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup."


	5. Woods Fill Up With Snow

Lord Elrond agreed that the patrol could be dropped, at least for the duration of the cold snap. Then they would see if the activity resumed again once the weather warmed up.

Katie spent an enjoyable few days "hanging out" (as she put it) with Elrond's children in the mornings and talking with Erestor in the afternoons. One afternoon, Elladan was walking down the corridor past Erestor's study when the older elf called him over.

Katie was sitting in a chair by Erestor's desk, a slate and chalk in her hand, grinning broadly. "I have an issue to take up with you," Erestor addressed Elladan sternly, although his eyes twinkled. "Katie tells me you and Elrohir taught her her history. Is this true?"

"Yes…" Elladan said slowly.

"She appears to be under the mistaken impression that Fingolfin was the first King of the Noldor, that Fëanor and Fingon were brothers, and that Finwë founded Minas Tirith." He looked at the twin reproachfully and shook his head. "You have much to answer for."

Katie was giggling madly.

Elladan put on his most haughty face. "It is not my fault if the child refuses to study," he said, spreading his hands and defending his innocence.

"Hey!" Katie exclaimed indignantly. "That's not fair! And _don't_ call me 'child'."

"Why ever not?" Elladan asked innocently. "That is what Legolas calls you."

"Yes, and I in turn call him Blondie and Robin Hood. Would you like me to start doing the same to you?"

Elladan grinned and stretched his hand over to rest it on the top of her head, a habitual gesture he made to his siblings, Arwen and Estel in particular. "I'm not blond, you young fool," he said affectionately. Katie was unable to reply as someone called Elladan at that moment and he left the room, throwing a last comment over his shoulder. "You listen to Erestor now!" he scolded avuncularly.

Erestor took his seat beside Katie again. "What does 'Robin Hood' mean?" he asked.

"He's a legendary character. They say that back in the time of King Richard the Lionhearted, he and his band of merry men roamed Sherwood Forest, robbing from the rich, giving to the poor, winning archery contests, and rescuing damsels in distress. He's actually a hero—but don't you dare tell Legolas that! I like to make him think it's an insult." She smiled broadly.

Erestor did, as well. "I understand that there was a—ahem—_rivalry_ between you and the Prince of Mirkwood?"

Katie nodded. "We had fun getting in each others' hair."

Erestor frowned. "In each others' _hair_?" he repeated, bemused.

"I mean we annoyed each other. I didn't actually get in his _hair_!"

"I do not think he would have let you," Erestor said with a half-smile. "We elves are very particular about our hair. We take great care of it and prize beautiful hair as one of the most prominent features."

Katie's hand went unconsciously to her own head. "Is that why even male elves have such long hair? The guys where I'm from don't grow their hair that long—and a number of the girls don't, either."

"Yes, that is why. An elf would never suffer his hair to be cut if he could help it. It would be like a woman having her head shaved!"

Katie made a face. "Message received and understood. Will not mess with elves' hair, even to tease them."

Erestor laughed. "That is wise."

000

Estel slowly came to the realization that something was bothering Katie. He and the twins were talking with her in Elrohir's sitting room, Arwen being busy with some of her old friends that day. Katie had only thrown a haphazard word or two into the conversation, and now sat silent and frowning in thought beside him.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her during a lull in the talk. "How angry you look!"

Katie looked up. "Angry? No, I'm not angry. I've just been wondering…" She looked around at them thoughtfully. "Why was there a patrol in the forest?" she asked matter-of-factly. "Someone said that 'the cold has scared them off'. Scared _who_ off?"

The brothers looked at one another in surprise. "You are very observant," Elrohir finally said diplomatically.

"Yes. And you're not answering my question," Katie replied cheerfully, but with determination.

Elladan leaned back in his chair. "Well, there is no reason we cannot tell you, I suppose. Recently there have been some… incidents in the forest and the surrounding villages. People wandered away from the villages and into the forest and… disappeared."

Katie's eyes widened. "_Disappeared?.!_"

"We believe they were kidnapped by slave traders," Estel said grimly. "They perhaps thought it would be wise to get their—"merchandise"—from an area quite a distance from the markets of Harad or the east. It would make the slaves less likely to be able to find their way home should they try to escape."

The three brothers scowled, and Katie looked appalled. "I had no idea that went on in Middle-Earth," she said in shock.

Elrohir nodded. "It is an abominable practice," he agreed.

"How do you know they're slave traders?"

"One of their captives escaped," Elladan said soberly. "She managed to get back to her village, and the people sent a warning to us as well. Since then our father has raised the security around Rivendell and sent out guards to patrol the forest as far as the Trollshaws. But we have seen little trace of the traders since then. We would have gone after them, but we encountered great difficulty when we tried to follow their tracks. They have someone very skilled working with them—very skilled indeed."

000

It snowed again the next afternoon. Elrohir and Estel were occupied elsewhere, so Elladan, Arwen and Katie went for a walk outdoors. It was the first Katie had been outdoors for any extended period of time since she had arrived in Rivendell, and she seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.

Elladan was pleased by the fact that Katie seemed to be opening up to Arwen. In the years before his sister had gone to Lothlórien, Elladan had observed many a human ranger meeting Arwen for the first time, and Katie's reaction was much the same as theirs—shock at her beauty, the utmost respect, and acting rather shy around her. But Arwen appeared to have taken a liking to this young girl who had helped her father and amused her brothers so, and Katie took her cue, and they chatted more naturally now.

The three of them made their way to the trees that stood along the Bruinen as it cut its way through the valley. Elladan and Arwen had to slow their steps for Katie, who was wading through the snow. In the middle of the trees, the three of them stopped by silent consent.

There is a stillness in the air in the middle of a forest while the snow falls on it—a kind of breathless wonder that is too great for sound. It is almost as if the snow is cotton, dampening any noise from the world and turning it all into a crystalline hush. There was no need of words between the three of them; they simply stood still and drank it in.

After a few minutes, Arwen opened her mouth and began to sing. Closing his eyes and smiling at the sound, Elladan could almost believe it was their mother, singing to them again—or Lúthien, causing her hair to grow into a shimmering, raven river. The notes hung on the air as if they themselves had crystallized and formed a part of the white traceries of snow that outlined every limb of the bare, black trees.

As the last notes disappeared into the enveloped winter silence of the forest, Katie smiled blindingly up at Arwen. "That was beautiful," she said wistfully. "I wish… I wish people did this in my world."

"Did what?" Arwen asked gently.

"Just—oh, just went out and sang in the snow!" Katie shrugged, unable to put it into words. "People would be embarrassed to be seen doing such a thing where I'm from, but here—here, it's just… just beautiful and touching. Not silly. The solemn things here are so much more solemn, and the funny things are so much more funny, and just… everything is _more_," she concluded. "People are more themselves, society is less society and more—people being people." She shook her head, then laughed. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

Arwen seemed a bit at a loss, but Elladan nodded. "I think I understand what you mean," he said thoughtfully. "Your world is so much busier, so much more—I think 'frantic' would be the word. No one has the _time_ to be more."

"Exactly." Katie burrowed down deeper into the scarp Lithorniel had wrapped warmly about her throat before she had left the house.

"We have been out here a long time; shall we return to the house?" Arwen asked, and the other two agreed.

As they turned to go back the way they had come, Katie suddenly stopped and peered intently at the snow. "You didn't leave any footprints," she said accusingly.

The two siblings looked down. There were Katie's footprints, leading away from the house, and beside them… nothing. Katie looked from her own feet, ankle-deep in the snow, to the feet of her companions, which she just now seemed to notice rested lightly _atop_ the snow, rather than _in_ it.

The look she cast on them was half amusement, half accusation. "You can walk on top of snow," she said. It was an observation, not a question. Arwen and Elladan both nodded, Arwen's expression serious and Elladan's very entertained.

Katie shook her head in exasperation and cast her eyes to the heavens. "_Elves_!"

Arwen's laugh of surprise and delight rang out in the snow-covered forest.

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN:** Well, that one went faster than I thought it would! 

Megan just informed the other day that Josiah has broken his wrist. :(

Would like to inform you all with the little blurb about elves and hair, that no one in my stories will be dying anybody's hair funny colors. I enjoy pranks, but I personally would kill anyone who dyed my hair, and I'm sure elves are even more sensitive on the subject! Oh, and the bit about elves finding beautiful hair attractive is true. While I'm sure that elves probably enjoyed a good practical joke once in awhile, and could be very silly at times, I think they would definitely draw the line on dying and/or cutting people's hair. This is JennyJoy4, shooting down Mary-Sue stereotypes everywhere in the world of lotr fanfiction! Thank you for watching. lol

Just to let you know, I'll be at the Creation festival the 29th thru the third, so if I don't get the next chapter out before Wednesday, you'll know why it's taking me so long. :)

**Hermione at Heart**: It's reassuring to the insecure writer in me to hear that you're hooked. :)

**IwishChan**: Well, you can estimate the number of questions Erestor asked her by the fact that I didn't include that bit in my narrative because I didn't want to bore you all to death. :)

**theycallmemary**: Well, it's a bit difficult for Katie to go exploring in the snow. They will get out of Rivendell eventually.

**Kara**: —imagines Katie eating a muffin in the middle of a warg attack, cracks up— Yes, now that you point it out, Katie's friendship with Legolas _is_ a bit like Gimli's, isn't it? I don't _think_ I did that on purpose… Hm. Always glad to see a new face (or screenname… whatever.)!

**werewolflemming**: With all the Arwen-haters around, I'm pleasantly surprised that everyone seems to be liking the idea of Katie meeting Arwen. Almost created a new mini-balrog realm in this chapter by forgetting the accent marking on Lothlórien. Luckily, I had the sense last time the spell-checker caught it, to add it to my dictionary, so my spellchecker reminded me to put the accent marking in. :) How I love technology! (When it works…) Hope you do well on your exam!

**Ravens Destiny**: —completely cracks up laughing— That's great! But don't you be giving my cats any ideas! They've already puked on the carpet next to my computer chair!

Thanks also to **Laer4572** and **fk306**!

**Please review**! I promise a bit of human/elf bonding next chapter!


	6. The '52 AllRivendell Snowball Fight

Elladan, Arwen and Katie made their way back toward the house. As they reached it, Elrohir came into view. He was standing out in the open with his back toward them.

Arwen suddenly put her hands out to stop her two companions, and put her finger to her lips. Silently, she bent down and scooped up some snow, molding it into a sphere. Winding up her arm, she sent the snowball flying sharply through the air. She had excellent aim; it smacked right into the back of Elrohir's neck, where the snow would seep down his collar.

Elrohir spun around in shock, and Arwen and Elladan both began to laugh. Katie was staring between Arwen and Elrohir with a look of the utmost surprise and mischievous glee on her face.

Elrohir scooped up his own snowball and fired it right back at his sister. She ducked, and it hit Elladan in the shoulder.

In a moment, it was all-out war, all parties running, shrieking, dodging, scooping up snowballs and throwing them at everybody else. Katie found herself allied on Elrohir's side against Arwen and Elladan. All three of the elves had strong arms and excellent aim, while most of Katie's snowballs fell short or flew wide. The two teams retreated to opposite ends of the clearing for a few minutes, still firing off snowballs and ducking behind trees with shouts of laughter.

"Estel!" Katie shouted, spotting the other human. "Come on and help us! I can't aim!"

Estel chuckled at the sight of the four of them, but waved off the offer, retreating into the house.

Elrohir turned and winked at Katie. With a roar, he charged their opponents and threw his arms around Arwen, picking her up and beginning to run off with her. She shrieked with merriment.

Elladan went after his twin in valiant defense of his teammate, tussling with him until he had knocked him into the snow. Picking up a handful of it, he teased his chuckling brother, "I should rub this in your face!"

But Katie had dashed across the clearing behind him, and Elladan gave a yelp of shock as he felt something wet and cold go down his back. Katie had shoved a handful of snow down his collar!

In a moment he was after her, and she, screeching with hilarity and mock fear, fled at top speed.

He would catch her in a moment! She stumbled through the snow, looking for something to hide behind—or some_one_.

They had been fighting near Erestor's study window, and he had come outside to watch the fun. Katie ducked behind the figure of Elrond's chief advisor, yelping, "Hide me! Hide me!"

Erestor, holding his hands behind his back, looked taken aback. Elladan skidded to a stop in front of him, unsure of what the older elf would do.

Erestor unclasped his hands and brought them in front of him—revealing that he held a snowball in each.

Elladan shouted for his sister to retreat and ran in the opposite direction, and Erestor, laughing, shot both snowballs after his him quick succession, both of them catching him in the back.

The commotion had alerted other elves to the giant snowball fight as well, and by the time the fight was over, both twins, Glorfindel, and three other elves were sitting in the snow, and everyone else, Elrond included, was standing around, their clothing soaked and covered in snow, trying to catch their breath around their laughter. By one consent, they all began to go back into the house, brushing off their clothing. A few minor skirmishes broke out as final retribution was served, and it was a very merry bunch of elves who came back into the warmth of the Last Homely House.

Katie found herself by Lithorniel, who was laughing as she brushed the snow out of Glawar's hair. "I think Lord Elrond came out of this fight the best," the guard observed mirthfully as he unclasped Lithorniel's cloak and shook it out for her. "No one wanted to attack him!"

"Except his children, and they were soaked already," Lithorniel agreed. "I saw Arwen manage a direct hit on the back of her father's neck!"

Katie laughed out loud at the memory of Elrond's expression as the missile had exploded into white powder all over him. He had retaliated immediately, winging Arwen in the arm with another powdery projectile.

After getting into cry clothes, Katie found herself chatting with Elrohir in his sitting room before a roaring fire. The twin was drying his hair before its warmth; his siblings had done an excellent job of soaking it for him.

Katie stretched her wet feet out in front of the flames. "Did you and Elladan teach Arwen to throw like that?" she asked.

Elrohir chuckled. "Yes, and it seems she has been practicing." He made a face and rubbed the back of his neck where Arwen had first smacked him with a snowball.

Katie sighed happily. "She's beautiful," she said.

"Yes, she is," Elrohir agreed. "Very few mortals have met Arwen Undómiel, you know. She is the Evenstar of our people—they hold her in great reverence." He paused, then chuckled. "Of course, very few of them that do not live in Imladris have ever seen the way she can throw a snowball!" He and Katie laughed together. "It is different for Elladan and myself, being her brothers. We spent many hours playing with her when she was a child, and I have kissed many a scraped knee or scratched elbow."

Katie smiled at this cozy description of the elegant elleth as a child. "You and Elladan are older, then?"

"Yes, we were young adults when she was born. One hundred and eleven years old: somewhere around twenty according to your standards." He was silent a moment. "Her voice is so much like our mother's that when she sings, sometimes I swear it is Naneth returned to us." He smiled gently at the thought.

Katie looked very sober. "How did your mother die?" she asked quietly.

"Oh, she is not dead," Elrohir assured her. "She has simply sailed to Aman." His expression darkened a bit with sorrow. "She was captured by orcs just a little over four hundred years ago. Elladan and I rode to rescue her, but we were too late." His voice grew heavy. "Father was able to heal her body, but her spirit was weary of Middle-earth, and she sailed the following year." He stared into the fire, unmoving, for a long moment. Then he shook himself and plied his comb again. "Father will certainly see her again when he sails, but as for my siblings and I—I do not know if we will or not. We have not yet decided whether to be counted among elves or mortals."

He noticed Katie frowning in confusion, and leaned back in his chair with a half-smile. He enjoyed story-telling. "Did you know my father had a twin brother?" Katie shook her head in the negative, trying to remember if she had known this or not. "His name was Elros. You have been told already how my grandparents sailed to Aman to get help for Middle Earth. Their descendants were given the choice, as part-mortal, part-immortal, to decide which fate would be their own: whether they would be counted as immortal and one day leave Middle-earth for Aman, or counted as mortal and one day die in Middle-earth, unable to ever set foot in the Undying Lands. My father decided long ago to be counted among the Eldar, and his brother Elros chose to be counted among Men. In fact, Elros was Estel's very distant ancestor." This was treading very close to Estel's true identity, which had only just been revealed to the young man a few months before, but Elrohir felt the information would be safe with Katie, who did not even know there _was_ an heir of Isildur.

"Someday, Elladan, Arwen and I must all decide whether to remain in Middle-earth and be sundered from our kin, or to sail away to the Undying Lands with our father," Elrohir concluded.

"But wouldn't that be an easy choice?" Katie asked as Elrohir finished combing out his hair and began deftly to braid it backward in his usual style. "I'd think it'd be easy to choose to be immortal—I mean, you never have to die, you get to be with your family, and you live forever in a sort of paradise. Why would you choose to stay?"

Elrohir tied off the braid and pulled a lock of hair in front of each pointed ear. "My brother and I have ridden forth to revenge our mother upon the orcs with many generations of Estel's people," he pointed out, rising and putting away his comb. "We have become quite attached to the mortals of Middle-earth." He shrugged. "I do not know what we will choose. But my brother and I will surely choose alike."

Katie digested everything she had heard as Elrohir made himself comfortable in his chair again. She had been suspicious of a change she had seen in Estel's personality ever since she had arrived in Middle-earth again, and the incident with him not joining in the snowball fight had confirmed it. He was so quiet and more solemn than he had been before, and she had seen the look he had cast at Arwen before refusing to join in the merriment. She wasn't positive, but she was pretty sure he was in love with the lovely daughter of Elrond.

She certainly couldn't blame him; Arwen was the most beautiful person she had ever seen—had ever heard of, even. She had thought actresses she had seen were beautiful—Angelina Jolie, Kate Beckinsale, Uma Thurman, Liv Tyler… Well, they were like a candle in the sun; Arwen surpassed them all. And she was so gentle and kind as well, and like all elves, capable of being otherworldly and regal on one hand, and so gleeful and childlike on the other—as the incident today with her inciting the '52 All-Rivendell Snowball Fight had proved.

Katie was surprised that no one else had noticed the change in Estel and begun looking for a cause. She figured perhaps they _had_ noticed it, and simply hadn't said anything. (Unbeknownst to Katie, the elves had indeed noticed Estel's silence, but the twins had attributed it to his new-found knowledge of the great destiny which had recently been revealed to him.)

Well, if they weren't saying anything, she wouldn't either, she decided. If Estel really _were_ in love with Arwen, and if Arwen someday returned his love, she might decide to stay on Middle-earth, and then be separated from her family forever. And as Katie had seen so clearly today, the members of Elrond's family were all very close to one another—closer than almost any human family Katie could name. It was obvious they loved one another very much, and to have to choose between one love and another would be very painful. So she avoided the subject.

Instead, she mentioned another couple she had observed that day in the aftermath of the Great Snowball Battle. "Glawar and Lithorniel seem to be getting very close," she observed lightly, turning the subject.

Elrohir's reaction surprised her. He threw his head back and laughed merrily, in a way only an elf could. "Katie!" he managed to choke out. "Of course they are close! They are _betrothed!_"

"_What_?" Katie exclaimed. "Really?"

Elrohir nodded, smiling from ear to ear. "Their houses met just this fall and Glawar and Lithorniel exchanged silver rings. The betrothal will stand for at least a year," he explained. Then he laughed again. "'They seem to be getting very close'," he repeated, snickering.

Katie pulled a throw pillow out of her chair and utilized it in the way its name suggested.

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN:** _Elleth_: female elf. _Naneth_: mother. _Eldar_: elves. _'52 All-Rivendell Snowball Fight_: III 2952 is the year, according to the Middle-earth calendar, in which this story takes place. 

There, I've updated the very next day. I think I deserve a medal. :) Alright, _now_ don't look for another update until after Creation.

**IwishChan**: I think Elladan and Elrohir _tried_ to teach Katie the proper F names, but she (like me) simply couldn't keep them straight.

**lunelwe**: Yes, Katie is having a nice quiet time in Rivendell—at least until the Great Snowball Battle. What _exactly_ are you implying about bonding:) Thanks, I hope so too!

**Eleniel of the Stars**: Thank you! Welcome aboard. :) Am I correct in thinking "Iluvtariel" signifies "Daughter of God"?

Thanks also to **fk306** and **werewolflemming**!

—Puts on a posh English accent— **_Do_ review, darling**.


	7. A Little Learning

Lithorniel came to check on Katie just before bed that night. To her surprise, Katie regarded her with a sly smile. "Imagine, keeping the news to yourself like that," she said.

Lithorniel looked at her quizzically.

"You didn't tell me you were betrothed!" Katie exclaimed.

Lithorniel blushed prettily and held up her right hand to display the silver ring on her index finger. "To Glawar. Who told you?" she asked, sitting down beside Katie before the fire.

"Elrohir," Katie answered. "He said your houses met?"

Lithorniel nodded. "It is the custom of our people to bring together our two houses in order to announce a betrothal. They witness the exchanging of betrothal rings." She frowned for a moment. "It was a joyous occasion, but for the absence of Gúrvel."

Katie nodded; she remembered that Gúrvel was the name of Glawar's older brother, who had killed himself during Dorlarth's uprising.

"Glawar and I knew each other when we were young, of course, but we never spent very much time together," Lithorniel continued. "But since he came to serve Lord Elrond we saw more of each other." She smiled shyly. "Our parents were not averse to the match, and so we plighted troth." Seeing that Katie was listening with interest, she proceeded to explain about Elvish marriage customs.

"Most Eldar marry, just as most humans do," she began. "Usually we marry soon after we turn fifty, that being the age at which we are generally full-grown, although for some they do not reach their full stature until a hundred."

Katie raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Elrohir did tell me that a hundred-year-old elf was considered a young adult," she conceded. "It's hard for me to imagine."

"I'm sure it must be," Lithorniel said understandingly.

"How old are you and Glawar? If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all. I am sixty-five, and Glawar is seventy-two."

Katie whistled between her teeth. "You're about the same age as my grandma, then," she said, shaking her head. "Anyway, go on."

"The betrothal must stand for at least a year, and generally for longer," Lithorniel continued. "It is a form, really: betrothals among elves are rarely ever revoked. We know our own minds." She smiled merrily. "If it _is_ revoked, the two parties publicly melt down their rings and they are never used for betrothal again. Once the betrothal has stood for at least a year, Glawar and I will decide on the day of the wedding.

"Our two houses will meet again, and have a feast. Afterwards, my mother and Glawar's father will join our hands and bless us. Then we will give back the silver rings to one another and exchange gold ones instead. And it is also our custom that my mother will give a jewel on a chain to Glawar and that his father will give a similar gift to me. How is the marriage custom among your own people? For I am sure it differs from that of the Men here."

"Well, where I'm from, marriage is primarily a legal definition," Katie said. "Two people who want to get married can do so in front of a public official, like a judge. But some people want the ceremony to be held in a church. They seat the bride's family and friends on the left and the groom's on the right, and the groom waits at the front of the church with the minister. Then the groom's particular friends, the groomsmen, process down the aisle with the bride's particular friends, the bridesmaids. The groom's best friend is usually the "best man" and the bride's best friend, the "maid of honor"—or "matron of honor" if she's married. They sometimes also have a young boy be the "ring bearer" and a young girl be the "flower girl".

"Finally, the bride processes up the aisle, escorted by her father, who then "gives her away" to the groom. Then the minister goes through the ceremony, culminating in the exchanging of gold rings, and then the couple kisses. After the ceremony, everyone gets together and has the feast. And that has its own little customs—the bride dances with her father and the groom with his mother, and the bride and groom dance together, and they cut the wedding cake together and feed one another a piece of it, or they entwine their arms and drink wine with their arms linked… Sometimes people will clink their silverware against their glasses or stomp their feet, and that's a signal that they want to see the bride and groom kiss." Lithorniel smiled at that. "It's also usually a tradition for the best man and the maid of honor to each give a speech and toast the bride and groom. At the end of the feast, the bride throws her bouquet over her shoulder, and they say that the woman who catches it will be the next to be married. They also used to have a tradition where the groom tossed the bride's garter over his shoulder to the men, and then the man that caught it had to put the garter on the woman who caught the bouquet, but that's rarely done anymore.

"Finally, the bride and groom leave the reception, and as they go, the guests line up on either side of them and toss rice on them."

"What is _rice_?" Lithorniel asked, puzzled.

"Oh, I guess you don't have it here. It's a kind of grain. It's supposed to symbolize plenty," Katie answered, then concluded, "but every wedding's different. People tend to pick and choose which traditions they want to do, and so every wedding ends up being unique."

Lithorniel nodded, smiling. "I rather like hearing about all those traditions; they are quite interesting. I believe hobbit weddings are rather like the weddings you are describing."

"Hobbits?" Katie asked. "Are those the Halflings?"

Lithorniel nodded. "Charming little people," she commented, rising. "It is late, and I mustn't keep you up any longer. Good night!"

000

"The High Elves are those that went to Valinor," Katie recited carefully. "The Vanyar, or the "Fair Elves" or "Light Elves" were the first host to go to Valinor, and stayed there. Their king, Ingwë, is High King of the elves and lives on Taniquetil beneath the halls of Manwë."

Erestor nodded, pleased. "Go on."

"The Noldor, or "Deep Elves" all went to Valinor, but some came back to Middle-earth. Most of the elves of Rivendell are Noldorin.

"The Teleri, or "Third Clan" was the biggest group. The Falmari went to Aman and lived in Alqualondë by the sea. The Sindar, or "Grey Elves" stayed in Beleriand under the rule of Thingol, and are considered Elves of the Twilight. Some of them stayed under Círdan the Shipwright by the shore, and they were the Falathrim. The Nandor started for Valinor, but turned back and followed Lenwë, and the elves of Lothlórien and Wood-elves Mirkwood are Nandorin and Silvan—the Silvan elves did pretty much the same thing. Some of the Nandor became the Laiquendi, or the "Green Elves" of Ossiriand."

"Very good!" Erestor exclaimed. "You are coming along well."

Katie heaved a huge sigh and leaned back in her chair. "I hope I can still remember all of that tomorrow," she said pessimistically. "All those little subdivisions drive me crazy—and I'm _still_ not sure I understand the difference between the Nandor and the Silvan elves."

"Well, let us concentrate on something else for awhile, then," Erestor conceded. "Can you remember the names of the Valar from two days ago?"

Katie frowned and stared at the ceiling in thought. "Manwë, King of the Valar, who rules over the winds and air. His spouse, Varda, who put the stars in the sky. Ulmo, the Lord of Waters; Yavanna, the Giver of Fruits; her spouse, Aulë the Smith. Nienna, who has pity; Oromë the Huntsman; and Mandos or Námo, the Doomsman of the Valar. Those are the Aratar, or eight greatest Valar. Then there's Yavanna's sister Vána Ever-young, the spouse of Oromë, and the flowers open and birds sing at her coming." Katie paused and smiled. "I think she's my favorite." Erestor smiled back in encouragement, and Katie continued. "Irmo, or Lórien, brother of Nienna and Mandos, and his spouse Estë the Gentle. Mandos' spouse Vairë, who weaves stories." Katie paused and frowned again. "Who am I missing?"

"Tulkas, the strongest of the Valar, and his spouse Nessa, the sister of Oromë. She delights in dancing on the green lawns of Valimar."

Katie grinned again. "Ooh! I like her, too."

Erestor smiled at her enthusiasm. "Now, do you know where the Valar came from?" Katie shook her head and leaned forward, giving the elf her full attention. She had always enjoyed a good story at home, and the stories of the elves were always more than good—even those among them that weren't considered good story-tellers were better than most people at it. Katie assumed (with a private smile) that it must be all the centuries of practice.

"The Valar are a division of the Ainur, who are the offspring of the thoughts of Ilúvatar. There's also a division called the Maiar, which serve the Valar. And some of the Maiar came to Middle-earth. These are the Istari, or Wizards."

"Wizards!" Katie exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "We have stories about them where I'm from. How many are there?"

"Just five: Saruman, Gandalf, Radagast, Alatar and Pallando. Saruman the White is the chief of the order, and is great in knowledge. He lives in Orthanc tower in Isengard just outside Rohan. Gandalf the Grey, whom we call Mithrandir, wanders widely across Middle-earth, learning about its people. He associates not only with elves and men, but with dwarves and hobbits, and he is very wise. Radagast the Brown lives in Rhosgobel on the borders of Mirkwood and is very close to the animals. Alatar and Pallando are the blue wizards, and they traveled far into the east and—well, they were never heard from again. We do not know what success they may have had."

"Have you met the other three?" Katie asked, curious. "What are they like?"

"Mithrandir is wonderful," a voice spoke up from the doorway. Katie jumped and turned. It was Elrohir. "He visits here sometimes. Saruman is very… great in knowledge," he said tactfully, "and Radagast is the most gentle fellow you could ever hope to meet."

"And you just scared the spit out of me," Katie said dryly. "Erestor, didn't he startle you?"

"Oh no," Erestor said calmly, "I heard him coming."

Elrohir laughed at the face Katie made at her tutor. "Come, it is time for dinner."

As Katie and Erestor rose and joined him in the hall, Katie said wistfully, "I wish I could meet a real wizard."

"Perhaps you will someday," Erestor said. "After all, you have certainly met elves!"

"Yes, and they all seem determined to give me a coronary," Katie muttered.

**

* * *

AN:** Hope this chapter wasn't too boring for you. The action should pick up again presently… 

I thought it was interesting that at Elvish weddings, the feast comes before the ceremony, and in our weddings, it's the other way around. All information of Elvish wedding customs comes from "The Laws and Customs Among the Eldar" from _Morgoth's Ring: The Later Silmarillion_. It's a very interesting read. (I have the text of it on my computer, and if you'd like to read it, let me know and I'll email it to you.) An interesting point to mention: if you read _The Fellowship of the Ring_, Galadriel gives Aragorn a green stone on a chain. Since Arwen's mother, Celebrían (who is Galadriel's daughter, if you haven't picked that up yet) was in Aman, Galadriel stood in for her, and the stone on a chain was Aragorn's wedding gift.

Most of the information on the kindreds of the elves and the Valar comes from The Encyclopedia of Arda; the link is on my profile.

**lunelwe**: Actually it was Katie/elves and Katie/Elrohir in particular. You're not likely to see too much of the second kind of "bonding" in this fic; the elves wouldn't stand for it. :)

**Ravens Destiny**: I've heard that album's good. Right now I just want to buy The Phantom of the Opera. —swoons— "It will make you want to hit Elladan." Well, now that you mention it… The action _is_ going to pick up a bit in the next couple of chapters… :) Oh for heaven's sake, don't burn one of my reviewers! Oh, you're just going to burn Mary Sue? Carry on, then. (And don't worry, Darkened Dreams, even the writer of "Don't Panic" mentioned someone once dying Glorfindel's hair green.)

**Eleniel of the Stars**: Hate to be nosy, but any particular reason she gave you that name? Just curious!. :)

**Laer4572**: Glad to see someone wondering what Katie's purpose is in Middle-earth this time…

Thanks also to **IwishChan**, **Fk306**, **Hermione at Heart** and **Doredhiel**!

**Please review and stay tuned…**


	8. See Me Stopping Here

The snow melted soon after, and the weather warmed up. Katie spent an idyllic month enjoying the beauty of Rivendell in the early spring. Often, she and some other fellow inhabitant would wander off and just walk through the valley, reveling in its loveliness. Sometimes she and Lithorniel would take large baskets and shears and go out into the gardens and along the river and cut flowers to put in the house. Once or twice Estel or one of the twins took her on a ride through the area. Katie had spent a couple of weeks with Megan the summer before, and her roommate had taught her to ride. Now the children of Elrond worked on improving her skill. Katie actually found riding elven-trained horses to be much easier than Megan's; the elves bred their horses for great intelligence, and trained them to obey voice commands. Elrohir, one day, had her drop the reins and cross her arms, only commanding the horse verbally. To Katie's delight, it had been relatively easy.

The commands, of course, were in Elvish, but Erestor had been true to his word and taught her a bit of that tongue along with a general history of Arda and of the elves. Katie had some trouble learning the rules of the language, as it was so much different from English. At least in Spanish, as Katie confided in Erestor, the plurals were created by adding "es" like in English. Elvish functioned on entirely different rules.

And _forget_ about learning to read and write it! Katie gained a basic vocabulary and learned a number of useful phrases, but she could not for the life of her learn to write them. All of the letters of Elvish looked so much alike! She had a suspicion that many of the poor elflings must have suffered from dyslexia at some point, trying to learn an alphabet like that!

Luckily, there were plenty of books in the library, and a good number were written in Common, so Katie did have some reading material.

Elladan glanced in her door one day and found her sitting by the window, reading. He leaned on the doorframe.

"Tsk, tsk. A beautiful spring morning, and you intend to spend it indoors reading?"

Katie looked up and smiled. "Now, what would Erestor say about your attitude toward books?" she answered back.

He laughed. "He would dredge up every story of my misbehavior during his lessons that he could think of. But we need not jog his memory!" He straightened up and walked over, leaning on the back of the chair facing her. "Elrohir and I are going across the Bruinen this morning, and we wondered if you wanted to come along."

Katie pretended to think hard about it. "Oh, I don't know," she said slowly, "I think I might prefer to stay here for Erestor's daily history lesson."

Elladan shrugged. "It is your decision. I think I heard Erestor saying he was planning to test you on your knowledge of the Elven kindreds again today…"

Katie put a marker in her book and jumped up. "Say no more! Picnic it is!"

000

They rode down the Great Road out of Rivendell in the cool shade of an early spring morning. Katie had seen a little less than usual of the twins in the past week, so she was very happy to be spending time with them. They entertained her on the ride with cheerful banter, and Elrohir sang a song in his broad, beautiful voice.

They reached the Ford at about noon. Katie was nervous about riding a horse into the water, but the twins assured her that Serondrych would be fine.

"She has forded this river many times," Elrohir said, leading the way into the swirling water. "You needn't worry that she will throw you."

Katie made a face in disbelief, but followed him. Serondrych indeed was perfectly calm crossing the Ford.

"There are times when it is not safe for you to cross the Ford by yourself," Elrohir told her seriously once she had reached the other side. "In times of danger, our father tightens his guard on this border to our lands. No one may cross unless they are of Rivendell, or are with someone of Rivendell."

"It's not a 'time of danger' right now, is it?" Katie asked in vague alarm.

"No, no," Elladan reassured her. "Although it was when you arrived, as we were not sure of the whereabouts of the bandits that were roaming this area. It was good that you crossed the river with Glawar and did not attempt to cross it on your own."

"Other than the fact that the water would've been up to my chin, and for all I knew, it was freezing cold," Katie pointed out. "What would've happened if I'd gone in alone?"

"The water would have risen and swept you downstream," Elrohir answered. He caught a look at Katie's expression, and he smiled at her. "Do not worry. We tell you this only so that you will be careful. It is rare that Father raises the river, and you would have little reason to be near the Ford at those times, anyway."

The three of them made their way to a clearing the twins knew of, in which they could eat their picnic lunch in peace and quiet. They took the saddles and bridles off of the horses and allowed them roam at will. Being elven-trained, they would return to their handlers quite obediently when given a command.

A blanket was spread on the ground, and they laid out the food. Katie stared at the dazzling array with shock. "This is incredible," she stated baldly. "I have never seen such great food for an impromptu picnic!"

Elladan picked up a stuffed egg and leaned over on one elbow. "Yes, the cooks in our father's hall are quite good, are they not?"

Elrohir grinned at his brother's nonchalant attitude. "They have spoiled you," he said teasingly as he served himself.

"You should talk," Elladan answered, eyeing his twin's quickly filling plate.

Katie rolled her eyes. "Play nice, children."

"Children?" Elrohir exclaimed in mock indignation, and Elladan chuckled and nearly sprayed some of his food across his plate. "Very mature, Elladan," Elrohir added to him in exasperation.

Katie was right; the meal was delicious, and all three beings were very full by the time they were finished eating.

"More pie, anyone?" Elladan asked, eyeing the last few pieces.

Katie groaned from her seat against a tree trunk. "No more for me, thanks. I feel like I'm going to explode."

"Elrohir?"

"I could not consume another crumb."

Elladan looked down at the plate.

"More for you," Katie commented.

Elladan shook his head. "I think not." He put the plate down. "At this rate, I will not be able to rise to my feet to mount my horse."

Katie chuckled and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the tree. "Anybody care to sing us a song?"

"Your turn," Elrohir answered, his voice muffled. He was lying face-down on the blanket, soaking up the warm spring sunlight.

"No way," Katie answered.

"What was it Legolas said to make you sing?" Elladan mused, staring up at the leafy canopy above in thought. "Ah, yes. 'She probably does not know any songs.'"

"Nice try." Katie didn't even bother to open her eyes. "That was Legolas. I don't have to prove anything to you two. And it might not even work if Legolas said it now, since we're friends."

Elladan suddenly sat up. Katie began to ask what was wrong, but he held up a hand to stop her and sat still, listening. Elrohir sat up as well. After a moment, the two of them exchanged excited grins and jumped soundlessly to their feet. Going over to their gear, they picked up the bows and quivers they had left there.

"Deer," Elladan said quietly by Katie's ear. "Will you be fine staying here alone?"

Katie smiled casually. "Sure. Have fun."

"Thank you." The twins slipped silently into the trees.

Katie grinned and rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her two companions. So wise one moment, warning her about the river, and so childlike the next—running off like children excited to be using a bb gun for the first time. They really were like older brothers to her.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes again. The day was sweet and peaceful, and she basked for quite some time in the halcyon atmosphere of spring. Katie was sure she was going to fall asleep soon if the twins didn't return.

Unfortunately, the peace of the morning was shattered quite suddenly when hands grabbed her roughly from behind.

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN:** I know, very short chapter. Sorry about that. But I know it's been a long time since the last, and it really was the best place to stop—that is, the place that will hold you in the most suspense. Mwa ha ha… 

PS: I took the LOTR Mary Sue Litmus Test just to see where I ranked. Is that service, or what? lol I answered yes to 24 questions out of 190, so I think I'm doing pretty well. :) The yes's were things like, Katie is my gender, my age, my race, teens to early twenties, comes from earth to Middle-earth for (what seems like) no reason except that she just does (although as you know, there is a reason), is approved of by Aragorn, everybody seems to end up liking her, I like her, there's Elvish in the story, canon characters and my character are wounded, and my character saves the day/somebody's life. And a couple others that I can't reveal my answers to yet. :) But I have high hopes that by the time I'm done with this series, I'll be able to say it's different from any LOTR fanfiction _I've _ever read! (If you want to see the litmus test (and it's very funny!), google "LOTR Mary-Sue Litmus Test").

**fk306**: A coronary is a heart attack.

**werewolflemming**: Yes, I became attached to the idea of Erestor after reading Don't Panic, and decided to include him. He's going to be a very useful character later on.

**IwishChan**: Agreed! And I _still_ don't know the difference between the Nandar and the Silvan elves…

**lunelwe**: You'll have to give me your email address for me to send it to you!. :)

**Laer4572**: lol!

**Arlindor**: You'll just have to wait and find out! I can tell you that she's not always there to save lives.

**RavensDestiny**: I'll have to see Jekyll and Hyde before I can debate with you! —dreams of Phantom of the Opera—

**RenegadeKitsune**: Yeah, but you have to remember, Erestor has had waaaaay more experience than any teacher you can name—he's like, an uber-teacher. So he'd be really interesting. I don't think it would be all that bad. Hey, I would give my rubber-ducky socks (and a lot more!) to go to Middle-earth and be taught by an elf! lol

**Erasuithiel**: The weather was just a coincidence. And in fact, it most definitely did not help the traders out, so they wouldn't have called it, even if they could. But some of your other thoughts definitely deserve some consideration… Legolas will not be appearing in this fic, but I'm certainly not ruling him out of future sequels. Oh, and I need your email address, too, to send that thing to you. Actually, the Maiar were all Ainur, as were the Valar. It's just that the Valar were of a higher order than the Maiar. So Katie can't be a Maia, since she's human. She has never had contact with a Vala, either, so she's not serving them, per say. But she is definitely doing a service to Middle-earth. More on that subject in the sequel. :)

**Princess Siara**: I don't know; do _you_ think there's some romance going on? —smiles mischievously— Yep, I do indeed take ballet. In fact, I've got a performance tomorrow! I started when I was four, so you've got a one-year jump on me. :) Oh, and on your review for chapter 18 of Something Rotton: Congrats! You recognized the allusion!

**Madd Hatter**: My goodness; you needn't apologize to me! I don't demand a reviewing fee! lol Usually I'm the one begging forgiveness from my reviewers if I don't get a chapter out quickly! I guess it's a delicate balance: people who like the read the story don't want the author to quit writing, and the author doesn't want people to quit reviewing!

Thanks also to **Eleniel of the Stars** and **Thalion**!

In order to retain the delicate symbiotic relationship between the writer and readers, **Please review**!


	9. Stop Without a Farmhouse Near

Katie's shriek of surprise was cut off short as a hand was clapped over her mouth. The person who had hold of her spun her around and slammed the back of her head against the tree.

He was a man, about forty years old, thin and wiry. His hair was black and matted, as if he hadn't had a bath in days—which, by his smell, Katie could tell he hadn't. A pair of black eyes glinted in his sun-darkened face above his pointed nose. A hard face.

His hand moved from over her mouth, and she filled her lungs to scream, but his forceful, harsh hand clamped onto her throat and squeezed, like steel pincers. Katie choked as her air supply was cut off. Her eyes widened and she clawed uselessly at his smothering grip.

"Don't you make a sound," he growled menacingly, "or you'll wish you was never born."

Katie's vision began to darken at the edges from lack of oxygen and from pure terror. Her captor released her throat. The relief was only temporary; he drew back his arm and punched her twice in the face—hard. Her head rocketed back against the tree and stars blasted across her vision. She fell to her hands and knees, gasping painfully as her balance slowly returned. Her throat felt like it was on fire, and her left cheek wasn't far behind. The brutality of the pummeling had split her cheek open, and the vision in her left eye was frighteningly fuzzy. The pain dazed her for a few moments, and the man roughly shoved her upright and began tying her hands in front of her.

Katie was paralyzed with fear and pain. There was no doubt in her mind that this was one of the bandits who had been kidnapping local people for foreign slave trade. A million thoughts burst through her head. Where were they headed? Could she escape? Would the elves come looking for her? Or rather, when they did, would they find her? How many of these bandits were there? How far was the slave market? How were slaves treated? This man had her alone where there was no one to hear her scream—_what was he planning to do with her?_

That last thought was the final straw. Her mind seized up and refused to think anything other than, _Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God…_She felt like she was going to be sick; it took all her willpower not to retch.

The man grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet, dragging her swiftly over to his horse. Katie was gasping with fear, and ever breath made her throat burn worse. She could see Serondrych and the twins' horses only a short distance away, and her feet itched to run to one of them, pull herself up, and gallop off. But her captor pulled a knife out of his belt and aimed it at her throat.

"Don't move an inch," he said menacingly, and paced off toward the elves' horses.

But the animals were far too intelligent to be stolen by a stranger. As he approached them, the three horses snorted at him and took off in one accord. Katie bit her lip, then quit as a sharp pain stabbed through it. She had forgotten for a moment that her lip was split.

Angrily, the man marched back toward her and his horse. Picking her up far less gently than Glawar had, he thrust her violently onto the front of the saddle, then mounted up behind her. Putting his arms around her to grip the reins (Katie shuddered) he kicked the horse into a swift walk. She was trapped.

000

Elladan and Elrohir paced silently through the forest after the herd of deer, which they could hear going on before them. Finally, the movement in front of them paused, and the twins followed suit.

Elrohir glanced at his brother and nodded, motioning with his eyes. Elladan nodded back, and they split up, arcing in opposite directions around the standing herd. The spring was far enough advanced that the leaves provided some cover, and the deer were unaware of their presence.

Elrohir crept as close as he could to the herd. Pausing for a moment to listen, he peeked through the branches to see their quarry.

A peaceful scene met his gaze. Four does and three fauns grazed gently in a tiny clearing dappled with golden sunlight. One of the knock-kneed younglings, still wearing his flecked coat, pranced proudly about his mother's legs. She gave him a nudge with her nose.

Elrohir couldn't repress a smile. Glancing across the clearing, he saw Elladan watching the same scene with an identical grin on his face. He caught his brother's eye and shook his head. This herd was not for hunting. They both snuck back the way they had come, so as not to disturb the creatures.

"I suppose Katie will tease us for going so far after the herd and then not hunting them," Elladan said as they drew away from the clearing.

"Think how much worse her reaction would be if we carried a freshly-killed deer into the middle of the picnic!" Elrohir answered, laughing.

Elladan joined in his laughter. They quieted down after a moment and walked in their own thoughts.

After a few minutes, Elladan's head snapped up, and he put out a hand to stop his brother. His head was lifted, listening. Frowning, Elrohir concentrated, and could hear the sound of approaching hoofbeats. But who would be coming down the Great Road from the direction of the Ford?

The two of them paused amongst the trees, watching the road for the horse. When it and its riders came into sight, they both suppressed a gasp of horror.

000

Looking back later, Katie realized she must only have been in the company of the bandit for less than a quarter of an hour, but at the time, it seemed like an eternity.

The cut on her cheek itched, but she dared not move to touch it.

As they rode down the Great Road, Katie in an agony of fear, she suddenly noticed a glint of metal amongst the foliage ahead of them. Peering between the trees, she beheld two faces: Elladan and Elrohir, staring after her with wide eyes.

She moved before she even thought, bringing up her bound fists to punch her captor in the nose, and then threw herself beneath his arm and off the trotting horse and half-stumbled, half-ran to the waiting twins, nearly tripping on her skirt and slipping on the leaf-strewn ground. She had never been so glad to see anyone in her entire life.

000

What the twins saw made Elrohir's blood run cold.

It was a rider—a bandit, no doubt—and before him on the horse was Katie, her hands bound, looking terrified and bedraggled.

The man didn't see them, but Katie did, and with a grunt of effort, she turned and punched the man in the face with both fists, then jumped off of the horse and ran toward them, almost tripping on her long skirts.

The man swore and turned his horse to pursue her, then pulled up short as he saw the twins.

Katie ran to Elrohir and grabbed his arm, hiding behind him. He put one arm out to shield her and drew his sword with the other. Elladan already had an arrow aimed directly at the bandit.

"You will not have her, filth," Elladan spat out, his bowstring creaking with the tension he put on it.

The man knew when he was outnumbered. He turned his horse with another curse and fled.

As his hoofbeats retreated into the forest, Elrohir sheathed his sword and turned to clasp Katie's arms. The girl was shaking and very pale. He put his arms around her and she clung to the front of his tunic.

"I am so sorry, _gwethel-nín_," he said, his voice rough with emotion.

Elladan strode over, having finally put away his weapons. His face was dark with rage. Elrohir knew that look. It was the look that bespoke a short, dark future for anyone who tried to harm those he held dear.

Elrohir held Katie back and examined her cheek while Elladan pulled out his hunting knife and cut the ropes that bound her hands. Katie rubbed her wrists absently as Elrohir gently turned her face this way and that.

The cut that crossed her cheek looked like it would require a few stitches. Elrohir pulled out his handkerchief and held it over the laceration to try and stop the bleeding. Katie winced. Her left cheek and eye, which were an angry red against her pale skin, were beginning to show signs of bruising and swelling. The kidnapper must have hit her repeatedly in the face. Elrohir felt the anger and regret well up in him and he exchanged a glance with Elladan.

But anger would get them nowhere now, and he fought it down for the moment. "Are you hurt anywhere else? Did he do anything to you?" he asked, fearing the answer.

Katie shook her head. "No, it's just my head and my throat." Her voice trembled as she barely held back tears.

"Your throat?" Elladan exclaimed, and Elrohir gently tipped her chin up, Katie taking over the job of holding the handkerchief to her cheek. Sure enough, her throat displayed red bands where the man's fingers had gripped her.

Elrohir set his jaw and shook his head. "Come. We are returning to Imladris immediately." He slipped his arm around her waist and with the other held her hand tightly and reassuringly. She leaned heavily against him as they set off and he imagined her knees were probably shaking as badly as her hands were.

"We must get back to the horses," Elladan said tightly. Katie shook her head.

"They ran," she managed to rasp. Her voice was clearly suffering from the abuse to her windpipe.

Elrohir shook his head. They must walk back to Imladris, and cross the Ford on foot. Glancing at his brother's expression again, he felt worry gnaw at his heart.

For all the peaceful sunlight, it was a dark day indeed.

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN:** You can thank Neassa for the speed with which I put out this chapter. She got on IM this evening and bugged me until I did. :) 

I originally meant Katie's captivity by the bandit to be rather longer, but it somehow ended up this way. Hope nobody minds.

**lunelwe**: Oh dear, your email address didn't come through. Stupid I guess you're just going to have to email me and I'll reply. My address is on my bio page.

**crazycatluver**: A good cliffy means you know your readers will come back for more. lol

**IwishChan**: That's the thing about elves. One moment they seem absolutely ancient, and the next, they're like little kids. The humans of Middle-earth called them "grown-up children". See: Arwen.

**Princess Siara**: Yup, I've been on point for eight years. Thanks, the performance went fine—for me, anyway. We were on a different kind of floor and some people slipped, but it wasn't a big deal. We were on demi, anyway. Now can I be on your favorite author list? lol

**Ravens Destiny**: Yes, I try to add a little foreshadowing without being too terribly obvious. :) The butler! lol Actually, I don't know who Dorlarth's replacement was! Never thought of that…

BTW, I've put another link onto my bio page, to some lotr wallpapers I've made, if you wanna check 'em out.

Stay tuned for the next episode, when… Whoops, not tellin'! What, did you think I'd spoil the surprise? **Please review!**


	10. Between the Woods and Frozen Lake

The twins decided the picnic things and horses could be left alone that night. The most important thing was to get Katie back to Rivendell. She was shaky from the emotional distress of her ordeal, and her hand trembled in Elrohir's. She was white as parchment.

They headed straight for the Ford. Once they reached it, Elrohir turned to Katie and helped her down to sit on the bank for a moment. Elladan removed his cloak, and both twins unstrapped their quivers and knives and Elrohir his sword, and wrapped them all up into a neat package with the cloak. Then Elrohir helped Katie up again.

"Get on my back," he said, bending his knees so she could reach. She obeyed, continuing to hold his handkerchief over her left cheek, and he picked up her legs and waded into the water. It was fortuitous that she had worn leggings beneath her skirt that day, so that she could ride astride. Elladan followed them into the river, holding the bundle over his head and out of the water.

Even with Elrohir, who was pretty tall, carrying her, Katie was soaked to the ribs by the time they climbed the other bank. But she didn't utter a word of complaint. Elrohir assumed her throat was hurting her too much to talk at present.

Once they had reached level ground, Elrohir set Katie down again and took her elbow, checking over his shoulder to see where his brother was. Elladan had followed them out of the water, and was now tucking the bundle under one arm. He nodded to Elrohir and they began walking again. It was going to be a long trudge to their father's house.

Katie leaned more and more on Elrohir's supporting arm as they continued, finally beginning to stumble. Elrohir stopped her.

"How do you feel?" he asked her.

Katie blinked a few times. "My head is killing me," she rasped out, "and my vision is kind of… blurry. And I'm so tired…"

The twins exchanged looks. "You may have a concussion," Elladan said gently. He paused. "Tell me the names of the groups of the Teleri."

Katie gave him an incredulous look. "What?"

"We need to check your alertness. Tell me the names."

Katie took a deep breath. "The Falmari, the Sindar, the Falathrim, the Nandor and the Laiquendi."

"Good," Elladan said. "I am glad to see you listen to Erestor better than you listened to me!"

Katie gave him a small smile. But when they started off again, her walking was obviously unsteady. Wordlessly, Elrohir stopped her and then smoothly picked her up. If Katie was surprised by the action, she didn't show it, only putting her arm around his neck (while still holding the handkerchief to her cheek).

They certainly moved faster that way, as the twins were able to extend into their longer stride. They carried on in silence again, the stillness of the late afternoon only broken by the sounds of their movement.

After a way, they stopped again, and Elladan checked Katie's eyes. "Tell me the names of the Aratar," he said, a he pulled the handkerchief away to examine her cheek.

"Manwë, Varda, Ulmo, Yavanna, Aulë… um…" she furrowed her brows in concentration as Elladan replaced the handkerchief. "Mandos," she finally continued, "Oromë. I can't remember the last one."

The twins looked at one another, and Elrohir shrugged. "She might not have remembered, anyway."

000

When they finally reached the house, the shadows were beginning to lengthen, and Katie was obviously becoming very drowsy. Her head was beginning to nod and she kept blinking owlishly as if she were trying to clear her vision. Elrohir figured she was probably rather dizzy, and his guess was confirmed when she laid her head down and shut her eyes tightly.

"You have to stay awake," he said, giving her a little shake. "We are almost there."

Elladan ran ahead to fetch their father, and Elrohir carried Katie into the house. They were met in the corridor by Lithorniel.

"Oh, dear!" she exclaimed in dismay. "What happened?"

"The bandits have returned," Elrohir answered, trying to keep his tone neutral. "My father may wish some help; could you go assist him?"

"Of course, my lord," she answered immediately, and set off quickly down the corridor.

Elrohir carried Katie into her room and set her gently down on the edge of her bed. She gripped the blankets and stared at her knees, refusing to look up at him. Her shoulders began to shake, and he could hear her start to sob.

"_Ai, gwethel-nín_," he said, sitting down next to her and putting his arm around her shoulders. She had repressed her fear all this time, and now she was finally releasing all the tension. She leaned in to him and cried on his shoulder.

"You are safe now, _penneth,_" he said, setting his cheek on the top of her head. "You will be fine." He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her arm briskly. "Here," he added, putting his hand gently over the back of her head.

In a moment, the tension began to leave her shoulders and her sobs quieted. Elrohir had extended a little bit of healing power to ease the pain in the back of her head and sooth her. Katie sat up and wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"I would lend my handkerchief, but you already have it," Elrohir said. Katie gave a watery chuckle in response.

Both of them looked up as Elrond strode into the room. Elrohir jumped up and pulled a chair up for his father next to the bed. "Tell me exactly what happened," Elrond said, beginning to examine Katie's cheek.

"Well, Elladan and Elrohir went off after some deer, and I was just sitting there, and all of a sudden this guy just grabbed me. I was gonna scream, but he—he choked me and told me not to make a sound." She swallowed hard, as if all this talking were making her throat sore. "And then he punched me twice in the face, and I hit my head against this tree." Elrond turned her head gently and looked carefully at her pupils as she continued to talk. "It really made my head spin. I was fine while I was on his horse" (the twins didn't miss her shudder of revulsion at the thought,) "but now I feel dizzy, and I'm really tired."

Elladan took a good look at her. Katie's face was pale, and the red and purple bruises that were appearing on her cheek stood out starkly against them. Her eyes were red-rimmed; he assumed she had indulged in a little cry. That was for the best; her silence on the way back to the house had worried him a bit. He watched as Elrond, assisted by Elrohir, rubbed something on Katie's cheek to numb it and then put three neat stitches over her cheekbone. Katie only flinched a little, and when she turned her head, Elladan could see the red bands across her throat standing out on her pale skin. Hot anger burned inside him. Abruptly, he turned on his heel and left the room, making for his own quarters. Elrond and Elrohir exchanged glances, and Elrohir went after his brother.

He caught up with him in Elladan's room. The elder twin was strapping back on his quiver and knives.

"What are you doing?" Elrohir asked.

"I am going to fetch the horses, and then I am going to find that bandit and make sure he never harms anyone again," Elladan said coldly, pulling his sword out of his closet.

Elrohir shook his head and took another couple steps toward his brother. "You are too angry."

"Too angry?" Elladan turned to him incredulously. "That man threatened Katie, tried to kidnap her—he _struck_ her, Elrohir, he even choked her!" Righteous anger blazed in his eyes. "This has to end. He has to be stopped."

"He will be," Elrohir said, soothingly yet firmly. "But not tonight. Not by you."

Elladan locked eyes with him a moment, then dropped his gaze in tacit concession. His shoulders slumped. Slowly, he began to put away his weapons. Elrohir moved to help him. "The man shall be brought to our father's justice," he continued. Elladan nodded wordlessly. Elrohir put his hand on his shoulder, and Elladan looked up. "Knight-errantry in the never-ending war against the orcs is one thing. They are irredeemably evil, and death is the only justice. Vengeance against a man is another. We walk a fine line, _muindor-nín_."

Elladan nodded, and pulled his brother into an embrace. "_Hannon le_. What would I do without you, brother?"

000

"There," Elrond said, as he finished rubbing a little salve into Katie's cheek. "You have a mild concussion; I want you to stay in bed tomorrow until I decide you can be up. Do you understand?" Katie nodded dutifully and Lithorniel, who stood nearby, nodded as well. "Then I will leave you to get out of your wet clothes and go to bed," he said, and left the room.

"_Hannon le, hîr-nín_," Katie murmured after him. He smiled at her over his shoulder.

Elrond made his way to Elladan's room and found the twins sitting silently, waiting for him. He paused on the threshold, then came in and took the remaining chair. "I will raise the awareness of the river immediately," he said, glancing from one to another. "These kidnappers must be found and stopped."

Elrohir nodded. "I will take care of it, _Ada_."

"Good." Elrond glanced at his other son, having guessed what had gone on between the two of them. Elladan gazed back calmly with clear eyes. Elrond rose. "You should both get some sleep," he advised them, pausing at the doorway. "It has been an eventful day."

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN: Extra credit!** Can you, without looking, name the Arata Katie missed? (Okay, you can look… If you _must_… :) 

**IwishChan**: lol No, Arwen is definitely a grown-up child. We have rarely seen the twins at their most solemn in this series of fics (although you'll see it if you read Two Towers and Return of the King), and you witnessed Arwen's snowball-fighting capabilities.

**Laer4572**: lol True! And look at my roomie! (Don't tell her I said that…)

**theycallmemary**: Sorry, no real excitement getting back to Rivendell. I know people were expecting it, thinking that Katie's kidnapping was the beginning of the real adventure. Actually, it hasn't started yet… —giggles evilly— Yes, I think it's safe to say Katie had a very bad day.

**werewolflemming**: Yeah, I think it's safe to say, that's the most frightened Katie's ever been, though I think she handled it quite well.

**crazycatluver**: No cliffy this time!

**Hermione at Heart**: Ow! —pokes back—

**Ravens Destiny**: I agree, definitely not as fun.

**Darkened Dreams**: You're right, it probably should have been longer. But like I said, the action is starting a little later than expected. Unfortunately, I don't have it quite all planned out yet, so I'm hoping I can keep the tension up when I really raise it. Thank you for the hint on concussions. Yes, I was planning for her to be slightly concussed, but your review reminded me to go look up the precise symptoms.

Thanks also to **Princess Siara** (I enjoy chatting with you!)

Elves would be naturals at ballet… Sorry, the mind is wandering. **Please review** and get me back to reality!


	11. My Little Horse Must Think It Queer

When Katie awoke the next morning, she just lay there and felt for a moment, her eyes still closed.

The back of her head was sore, as was her left cheek and eye. And she felt strangely weak and tired. Her mind had not quite processed everything yet by the time she tried to open her eyes—and found that she couldn't. Panic gripped her for a moment, but then she realized that her right eye was nudged into the pillow.

She turned her head a few degrees and tried again. This time, her right eye opened, but her left was reluctant to do so. Gingerly, she felt around it. It was swollen.

Oh, right. The blow to her face yesterday—it must've given her a black eye. Now that she was fully awake, she had a vague memory of Elrond waking her up a few times in the middle of the night to check her condition.

"How do you feel?" a gentle voice asked, and Katie rolled over more fully. Arwen sat nearby. The thought flashed through her mind that she looked like a queen enthroned.

"Sore and shaky," Katie answered truthfully. "I don't think it'll be any problem obeying doctor's orders and staying in bed; I'm not so sure I'd want to get up even if I was allowed."

Arwen nodded, unsurprised.

There was movement at the door, and Katie rolled over onto her back to see Elrond smiling down at her.

"Ah, you are awake."

"Yes. And before you ask, I feel sore and shaky," Katie added with a small smile.

Elrond smiled back. "You sound more like yourself this morning. And your voice is better."

Katie closed her eyes wearily, with a small smile. "And you thought you were gonna get a reprieve from my endless chatter for awhile."

The elves took her comment in the spirit in which it was intended, and chuckled.

000

Arwen stayed with Katie for a little while, and they chatted of many things.

"Your brothers were great," Katie said, referring to the night before. "I never had an older brother to take care of me."

"I spent many happy hours playing on their laps when I was little," Arwen said reminiscently. "They used to tell me bedtime stories. Both of them were good storytellers by themselves, but they were even better when they told stories together. They would take turns adding things, but the story never seemed to get away from them. There was one that took them a whole week of nights to tell me." She paused, then laughed. "I believe it was about a little elf girl from another world."

"Really?" Katie asked, intrigued. "What happened?"

"Oh, she had some adventures—I believe she played a riddle-game with a troll, or some such thing, and made friends with some dwarves. I do not remember many details, although I know it ended happily. All of their made-up stories ended happily. The true ones generally did not, or at least, not entirely. But I loved them all." She sat silent for a moment, thinking. "Even at that age, I knew there was no such thing as other worlds." She looked at Katie again and smiled gently. "We elves do not believe in such things; they are only children's stories. Or at least, that is what I used to think. Your appearance seems to have proven all of us wrong."

000

Elrond made orders for some of the guards to recommence their patrols on the far side of the Bruinen, with a reminder to them that if they took the guilty man prisoner, that they should be sure to ride into the river _before_ their captive, so as not to cause the river to flood. The guards were planning to ride out en masse at noon.

Elrohir volunteered to go, also. "I will go and retrieve our things and the horses, and then return and rejoin the guards," he said. Elladan, on the other hand, would stay and help his father organize things in Rivendell. Elrond did not comment on his elder son's uncharacteristic choice.

Elrohir headed down the road at mid-morning. The guards would need the three horses he was out to retrieve. He had considered waiting for noon and fetching the horses then, but the animals really could not be spared. Besides, he was not in the least worried about a bandit, or even a small band of them. If they attacked him, he was more than capable of defending himself. He would hear them coming, anyway; they had not the stealth of elves.

Even before he reached the river, he met his own horse and Elladan's on the road. They had crossed the Ford on their own and were headed back home. Elrohir gave them each a command to go home, then continued on across the river to recover Serondrych and the picnic things.

Elrohir rode directly to the clearing they had eaten in the day before. Serondrych was nowhere to be seen, but that was to be expected. The remaining food certainly seemed the worse for a night in the open air, and there were some small paw prints of animals that had come through in the night and sampled the viands. With a small smile, Elrohir began to pack the blanket and the viable food back into the basket, which he put on the back of his horse. Now. Where was Serondrych?

Elrohir began to call for the horse, wandering out around the area. In between each call, he listened carefully for sounds of the horse or of any humans approaching. He wandered some distance off the road, moving gently through the underbrush.

Suddenly, something made him stop in his tracks—a vague feeling that there was something—or someone—nearby. Listening very carefully, he put his hand to the hilt of his knife and slowly began to turn around.

Something heavy struck the back of his head, and then there was only darkness.

000

Arwen left after she and Katie had eaten luncheon together (swallowing had been a trifle painful for the girl), and left the young human to take a nap. Katie felt much more alert afterwards. When Erestor came to see how she was doing, she was able to greet him relatively cheerfully, sitting propped up on pillows.

"I see you are recovering well," Erestor commented, taking the seat Arwen had occupied earlier. "You are not averse to company?"

"Not at all. Arwen was here most of the morning. Speaking of Elrond's family, where's Estel?"

"He went off hunting in the Trollshaws with a large party yesterday morning," Erestor said. "They are not expected back for a fortnight. So there are fewer guards to spare for the patrols than usual."

"Ah." They sat in companionable silence for a few moments. "This is totally random, Erestor, but what does _gwethel_ mean?"

"Sister," he responded, with hardly a pause.

"I thought that was _muinthel_?"

"That is the word for the daughter of one's parents. A close associate, an ally, or a very close friend that one calls a sister—that is _gwethel_."

"Oh." Katie looked pleased.

000

Elrond met Elladan in the hall. His son was looking around with a frown on his face, as if he expected something to jump out from behind a pillar.

"What is it, my son?" Elrond asked.

"Have you seen Elrohir?" Elladan asked in response. When Elrond shook his head, Elladan continued. "He was to retrieve the horses, then ride out with the rest of the guard. Two of the horses and the one he rode out on have returned to Rivendell on their own, the third with the picnic things. But Serondrych is still missing, as is Elrohir."

Elrond thought for a moment. "He probably packed the picnic things up on his own horse, then went off looking for Serondrych. Either he has not found her yet, or he caught her and then picked up on the bandit's trail and followed it. I would not worry just yet, Elladan. Your brother is quite capable of defending himself against a man, or against several men, if need be."

Elladan nodded. "I am sure you are right, Adar."

000

Part of the patrol returned to Imladris as night fell, and Glawar came to report to Elrond and Glorfindel.

"We have found few tracks, my lord," he said. "These bandits have covered themselves well. However, we do have reason to believe that there may be more than one of these kidnappers, as there seem to be more than one kind of tracks. They have a few horses, as well. Half the patrol is remaining to continue to police the area throughout the night. We have placed a guard at the Ford."

Elrond nodded. "If the patrol is stretched too thin, the guard may be placed on duty somewhere other than the Ford; it will protect itself. Is there any sign of Elrohir?"

Glawar frowned in confusion. "Lord Elrohir did not ride out with us, my lord," Glawar responded. "I assumed he had retrieved the horses and would be joining us later, but we have not seen him. I thought perhaps he had been occupied with other responsibilities here."

"Three of the horses returned, but one and my son are still missing," Elrond said.

"Perhaps he discovered the bandits' trail while on his first foray, and followed it," Glorfindel suggested, unconsciously echoing Elrond earlier assertion. The warrior smiled slightly. "It sounds like something he would do. I am sure he will turn up in the morning, covered in mud, wondering why anyone was worried about him."

"You are probably right," Elrond said, and turned back to the guard. "Thank you, Glawar, that will be all."

**TBC**

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AN:** Uh-oh… lol I know, I'm wicked. 

Extra credit is awarded to **Princess Siara,** **crazycatluver **and **Darkened Dreams** for knowing that the missing Arata was Nienna. More EC is awarded to **werewolflemming**, for being the 100th reviewer!

**Laer4572**: …maybe…maybe not… lol

**IwishChan**: Well, the twins see Katie as almost a child, so they tend to treat her that way. She's silly and friendly with them, so they're silly and friendly with her. But they're not always that way. And thank you for reminding me to tell Katie where Estel had gotten to!

**crazycatluver**: Mwa ha ha… Cliffie again!

**Madd Hatter**: Yes, I feel rather bad for Katie. But she seems to be surprisingly resilient. Thanks! I looked up concussions in the encyclopedia and my mom's medical dictionary and took some notes before I wrote that chapter. :)

**Neassa**: Nopers. Don't feel bad; I checked before I wrote in the others! I certainly don't have them memorizied!

**werewolflemming**: Thanks! I'm beginning to move toward that kind of obsession, but I'm not quite there yet…

**Darkened Dreams**: lol! Oh, good! If Josh Groban isn't gay… DIBS! Hee hee.

Thanks also to **Princess Siara**, **Hermione at Heart**, **Arlindor** and **Fk306**! You all make my day!

Just to let you all know, I'm going to Indiana for a week from the 16th to the 22nd, and there's no internet there. So you can expect at least a week before the next update. I will try to write while I'm there, but I'm not guaranteeing anything—I'll have the newest Harry Potter to read! —does a victorious "Harry-Potter-is-coming-out" dance—

If you don't review, the twins will come after you! But if you **do review**, they'll still come after you… in a different way. lol!


	12. The Darkest Evening of the Year

Elrohir came to slowly. Blinking to clear his vision, he slowly raised his head from where it had hung, his chin touching his chest.

The first thing he noticed was that he was upright, and tied to some sort of pillar. Ignoring the throbbing in the back of his head, he gazed around the room, somewhat dazedly.

It was a dark, small structure, with no windows, and no door that he could see from his present place, tied in a standing position. In the corner was a small fireplace, where a tiny fire was burning. A number of men sat and stood in various positions about the room.

"Ah, finally awake, are we?" a deep male voice rasped out in Common. "Umer, go fetch Delwon."

"Delwon?" Elrohir muttered. In his fuzzy mind, the name rang a bell—along with another. Garaveg. Garaveg and Delwon—the two elves who had been exiled for their allegiance to Dorlarth.

Elrohir turned his attention to the man approaching him. It was the bandit who had tried to kidnap Katie.

"Not so threatening now, are we, elf?" the man spat out, and backhanded him. Elrohir's head snapped to the side, but he gave no reaction.

"Not yet, Tearlach," said a melodious voice that made Elrohir's stomach clench, though he gave no outward sign of it. "I would like him to remain conscious for a little space of time, yet."

Elrohir closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, gathering himself. When he opened them again, an elf had come to stand before him. He had dark, reddish-brown hair, much the same color as Elrohir's, and similar grey eyes. But the look in those eyes was hard and cruel. "Ah. Lord Elrohir," the elf said.

"Delwon," Elrohir answered, inclining his head courteously. "I see you have not improved in your choice of associates."

"I understand you have met one of my new business partners already," Delwon said, ignoring him. "A good slave is worth quite a bit of money in the south; the trade has prospered in recent years."

"You are the reason our patrols could not find the bandits," Elrohir said, finally piecing things together.

"Yes; their tracking skills are nothing compared to an elf's," Delwon agreed, switching into Elvish so as to mask his response from his associates. "Men are such stone-witted beings. You would have caught them long ago, had I not been hiding their tracks."

"Why Rivendell?" Elrohir asked. "Surely with the presence of the elves, it is a much more dangerous area for your… trade."

"I told the men it was so that we might perhaps capture an elf—one would fetch quite a high price at market. But really, I had other plans. Why do you think I would associate with men, if I had the choice? They are cheap labor, easily gained, and they make a good private army. Trade is not on my mind—but revenge."

Elrohir understood—all too well. Delwon wanted into Rivendell to take revenge on Elrond and the other elves who had exiled him. He wanted Rivendell itself.

"Unfortunately, these men do not take orders very well," Delwon continued in a low growl. "I could not tell them not to take any captives last fall, and once your father learned of the goings-on in the area, the river was too heavily guarded to cross. The cold-snap interrupted our business, but would have been a wind-fall, had not that blockhead over there" (he indicated Tearlach) "disobeyed my orders and tried to take that human child you and your brother seem so fond of. But now," he smiled, and the expression sent a chill down Elrohir's spine, "the situation is saved. We have you."

"If you are thinking of ransom, you are mistaken," Elrohir said in Common, in a clear voice so that the others would hear him. "You will not gain Rivendell with me for your leverage."

"Not as leverage, no," Delwon answered him casually, switching to Common as well. "But as a shield, you will be quite adequate." Elrohir frowned in confusion, and Delwon continued. "But first…" Without warning, he lunged out and struck Elrohir hard in the face. Tearlach's slap had not really hurt so much; this one did. Elrohir shut his eyes, trying to block off the pain so as not to give his captors any satisfaction. A trickle of blood ran from the side of his mouth.

"Hand me those, Lothar," Delwon said as Elrohir blinked, trying to clear his vision. When he looked back, he saw that the elf was advancing on him with a pair of shears. He couldn't imagine what Delwon was planning to do with them, but the twisted elf had a look of malicious glee on his face.

He grabbed a handful of Elrohir's hair with his left hand. "Such thick hair—the pride of all elves." He took the shears and laid them against Elrohir's scalp, then began to cut off his hair. He paused after a moment and stepped back, as if to admire his handiwork, cocking his head to one side and squinting like an artist. "What do you think, men?" he called out to the group, who all seemed to be enjoying the performance. "Not quite so beautiful and imposing with a large bald spot, is he?"

The men roared with laughter, and Delwon grabbed another large chunk of hair on the other side of his head and cut that off, as well. He reached for the back, but Elrohir's head was resting against the pillar, and the elf lord, expressionless, refused to move it. Delwon struck Elrohir in the ribs, causing him to crumple forward against his bonds. A few more snips, and large chunks of glossy black hair fell to the floor, where the men trod on it.

Elrohir, hanging on the ropes as he regained his breath, burned with fear and humiliation.

When Delwon had finished what he called "his masterpiece", most of Elrohir's hair lay on the floor about him. Delwon had cut it right against his scalp—but diabolically, he had left a few hanks here and there at their former length—just for the ultimate ugliness he could achieve.

"There. Now that business is over," he said briskly, putting down the shears. Elrohir looked at him from under lowered brows, feeling flashes of hot and cold as panic threatened him. It only intensified when Delwon picked up a long piece of firewood from next to the hearth and hefted it in his hand like a club. He advanced toward Elrohir, and the men, who had been lounging about watching the performance, all began to stand and close in on their captive menacingly.

Delwon smiled demoniacally at the frightened and defiant elf before him. "Now the fun really begins." He swung his makeshift club brutally into Elrohir's stomach.

000

Elladan twisted and turned in his sleep, becoming entangled in the bed sheets. In the grip of a nightmare, he muttered unintelligibly.

"Elrohir!" he gasped, and shot up in bed. Breathing hard, he looked around the room as if surprised to be there, and passed a hand over his eyes.

A split-second of deliberation, and he threw the sheets off. Out the door and down the corridor, he moved swiftly toward his father's room, where he rapped gently but urgently on the door.

After a moment, Elrond's voice spoke from inside. "Come."

The instant Elrond saw the tight expression on his son's face, he was out of bed. "What is it, _ion-nín_? What is wrong?"

"Elrohir is not just following the bandits," Elladan answered with absolute certainty. "He is in trouble."

000

Katie awoke slowly to the murmur of voices. She opened her right eye and managed to pry her left open just a bit. The room was quite dark still.

Turning toward the door, she saw a silhouette standing there, conversing very quietly with someone just outside. As she watched, the two figures embraced, and with a final word and gesture, the one inside shut the door softly.

"Lithorniel?" Katie asked groggily. "Wha's goin' on?"

Lithorniel turned, surprised to see her charge awake. She had slept on the couch in Katie's room that night to keep an eye on her condition. "Nothing. Glawar just came to tell me he was going out on patrol unexpectedly." She walked over to Katie's side and tucked the blankets about her.

But Katie was even more awake now than before. "Unexpectedly? Why? Has something happened?"

Lithorniel shook her head. "Just go back to sleep."

Katie would not be put off. "No. What is it?"

Lithorniel looked down at her, not in exasperation, but in worry. "Katie, it is the middle of the night."

"And I won't be able to sleep for worry."

Troubled, Lithorniel gave in. "They are going to search for Lord Elrohir."

"Elrohir? Is he missing?"

"Yes, since yesterday morning. Lord Elrond and the others thought it was nothing, but now they are worried. They have roused most of the remainder of the guards and sent them out to hunt for him."

"Oh, no. What do they think happened to him?" Lithorniel hesitated. "Please," Katie added plaintively.

"I understand Lord Elladan believes he has been captured by the company of bandits," Lithorniel answered her hesitantly.

Katie put her hands over her face. Lithorniel sat on the edge of her bed and ran a hand over her hair. "Katie?" she said anxiously.

"Oh, no," Katie whispered again.

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN:** Alright _now_ you'll have to wait until after the 22nd for the next chapter. :) 

**crazycatluver**: And this one didn't clear up that cliffie problem in the least, did it? —cackles evilly—

**IwishChan**: I know how the essay thing goes… I write some of my fiction in class. :)

**Darkened Dreams**: lol! That's a good idea! Unfortunately, I'm doing angst by beating up _Elrohir_ instead.

**Princess Siara**: Extra credit for noticing that Ro _should_ have heard his attacker coming… Had his attacker been human. One more mystery solved! Well, not exactly one of the family, but definitely considered a very close friend.

**Arlindor**: Well, now you don't have to wait a week—But I think I've opened a _new_ can of worms now. Whoops… Sorry about that (but not very lol).

**RenegadeKitsune**: Hope you don't go crazy within the span of a week…

**werewolflemming**: My mom called Waldenbooks (where I had a copy reserved), and they said they don't check ID or anything when you pick up reserved books. So go ahead and pick that baby up! lol Our situations sound eerily similar…

Thanks also to **fk306** and **Madd Hatter**!

Well guys, I'm off to the great plains of Indiana! Please review, and I'll be back soon!


	13. Conversations

Katie, allowed to get up the next morning, wandered aimlessly about the house and grounds trying only to keep out of the way. The place was a-bustle with elves hurrying to-and-fro—ellith carrying messages and leading fresh horses out of the stables, ellyn returning long enough to change animals and leave again, others striding purposefully through the corridors to take a message to Elrond and Erestor.

The elf lord and his chief counselor were organizing the search, Glorfindel having gone to help look. Nearly all the ellyn were involved in the search, including the healers and counselors. The ellith took over their tasks, making bundles of food for them, looking to the horses and generally running things at home base.

Katie eventually found Lithorniel in the kitchen, baking bread. Without preamble, Katie said, "I want to help. Can I?"

Lithorniel looked up and deliberated for only a second. "Fine; knead this while I stoke the oven."

Katie obeyed, turning the lump of dough over and over as Lithorniel had been doing. Ellith were at work all around them, and Katie copied their movements.

"Where's Arwen?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Lady Arwen? She is helping with the horses," Lithorniel replied. "She is quite a hand with them. She breeds them in Lothlórien," she added absently.

As they were putting the loaves in the oven, Lithorniel's friend Lossefalme rushed in and started putting food on a tray.

"What is happening?" Lithorniel asked.

"Mithrandir has arrived, unlooked-for," Lossefalme exclaimed. "He has ridden far, and is in need of a good meal."

"Lithorniel! Lossefalme!" the head cook exclaimed. "We need your help over here!"

"Coming!" Lithorniel called back and hurried over. Lossefalme set the last items on the tray and looked over at Katie.

"Could you take this up to them? You do know where Lord Elrond's study is?"

"Yes, of course," Katie said, picking up the tray.

"Thank you!" Lossefalme threw over her shoulder as she hurried away.

Katie carried the tray carefully up the stairs and down the corridors to Elrond's study. Balancing it on one hand, she rapped gently on the door.

It was opened by Erestor. "Ah. Hello, Katie."

"Hi," Katie answered, and set the tray down on an empty place on the desk.

Elrond sat nearby, along with an old man, who had grey hair and a long white beard. His nose was largish, and his eyes, under _very_ bushy brows, were gray. He was dressed all in grey, and a large, pointed blue had sat on the chair next to him, beside a gnarled-looking staff.

He and Elrond had stood courteously when Katie entered, and he watched her with some curiosity—a strangely-spoken human girl, who looked to be no more than twenty, in the Last Homely House!—and with a nasty-looking black eye, as well.

"Mithrandir, may I introduce Katie Elvellon, a guest in the house. Katie, this is Mithrandir."

Katie was proud of herself that she had picked up a little of the Middle-earth customs, and she dropped a curtsey (rather than shaking his hand, which is what she had done to Elrohir when she first met him, and startled him a bit).

Mithrandir nodded back gravely and watched the girl depart. Elrond saw his expression.

"Yes, and her presence here is another story almost too strange to be credited," he admitted when the door had shut behind her. "But we will have time to discuss that later."

Mithrandir nodded as he took his seat again, returning to the subject at hand. "You say Elrohir has been missing since yesterday morning?"

"Yes, and not a single sign of him have we found," Elrond answered worriedly. "Elladan is convinced that his brother is in trouble, and I do not doubt him. We have scouts scouring the area, but they have looked everywhere and found nothing."

Mithrandir furrowed his brow in thought. "Worried as I am for his well-being, I am more concerned with what this means for Rivendell," he admitted at length. "Either the ones who took him are wood-wise as elves, or very powerful. In either case, you have cunning outlaws surrounding Rivendell that mean your people no good. You must be on your guard."

Elrond agreed. "Our number of warriors is diminished however," Erestor added. "A very large number of them went on a hunting expedition into the Trollshaws two days ago, and are not expected to return for a fortnight." He shook his head. "But I do not doubt that we shall find our young lord," he continued in a more hopeful vein. "Our scouts shall find the trail, even with their diminished numbers."

"Perhaps," was all the Istar would answer.

000

When finally his captors cut the ropes that bound him, Elrohir slumped to the floor, in great pain and only barely conscious. The beating he had received at their hands had been brutal, though they obviously didn't mean to kill him—not yet, anyway.

He wavered in and out of consciousness of some time, lost in a haze of fear and pain. Slowly, he began to be semi-aware of his surroundings again.

They had given him no blanket, but being an elf (even an injured one), he did not mind the chill so much. He lay on his stomach, which ached and burned horribly with every breath, although he felt too weak to move. His head throbbed, as well, and all his limbs.

The men, as he observed through half-closed eyes, sat about the fire, talking.

"They'll be lookin' for this one soon," one of the men said—the one with the deep and raspy voice.

Delwon agreed. "Garaveg and his men will be here anytime," he added. "It is good that these cellars are extensive, or we would all be too crowded in here."

There was silence for a little while; one of the men poked the fire, which was now quite small; probably so the smoke would go undetected. Elrohir longed to shift into a more comfortable position than on his battered chest and stomach, but when he tried to move, his ribs screamed and burned, and he had to bite back a gasp of agony. At least one of his ribs must be broken, as he should have realized before. Luckily, someone had spoken just at that moment, so Delwon didn't realize Elrohir was awake.

"Don't go getting' that marker in the fire," Raspy-Voice said, and a couple of the men chuckled.

"Yes, we cannot afford to lose _another_, as Radek did," Delwon replied, which garnered its own round of snickers.

"'Tweren't his fault the thong broke," someone objected hotly. "Radek's the best of men."

"So he is," Delwon said, but apparently only Elrohir caught the sneer in his voice, for the loyal man piped down.

"How do them markers work, anyhow?" a third man asked.

Raspy-Voice snorted. "It's elf-magic, Bert. Same as what's keeping us hidden, and Radek's men, too."

"And here's Garaveg and his men now," Delwon said, rising. The others stood as well, though they had heard nothing. In a moment, the sound of feet on stone could be heard, and then a slew of men poured into the room, led by an elf with a horn at his hip.

"_Mae govannen_," Delwon greeted him.

Most of the men did not stop in the room with their leader, but when straight on through. Elrohir realized the door to the rest of the cellars must lay behind him. The men walked right around him without a pause, so close that Elrohir was afraid for a moment that they were going to step on him.

Garaveg said, "I see you have dealt with Elrond's whelp." Elrohir winced internally as he felt Garaveg's eyes pass over him.

"Yes," Delwon said, "I think you will find his looks improved a bit when you see him in better light."

Garaveg laughed; the sound was cold and hard as ice. "He need not look attractive for our purposes," he observed.

"No," Delwon agreed, "I think the length of his hair will be the least of his troubles, once we have finished our work."

**TBC**

**

* * *

AN:** I'm sorry, I know that was short, but I figured you'd rather I went ahead and got it posted anyway rather than making you wait even longer while I thought of a way to lengthen it! 

While in Indiana, I got to have a nice long conversation with my cousin Beth, and we got on the topic of LotR. I asked her if she'd read it, and she said she'd started to read The Silmarillion once, but got confused at all the F names and had to quit. I had quite a laugh over that.

I thought of nick-naming Raspy-Voice _Deep Throat_ but decided not to. :)

**Laer4572**: True…

**crazycatluver**: —salutes— Yes, _Ma'am_!

**RenegadeKitsune**: Actually, I _did_ think up some good stuff: I figured out how the heck I'm going to get them all out of this mess!

**werewolflemming**: Unfortunately, they didn't end up UPSing HBP to me, so I haven't even cracked it yet! That's next on my agenda…

**Fk306**: Well, the places where they cut his hair, Delwon put the scissors right up against his head. So it's not like it's _shaved_, but it's _very_ short, like a buzz cut, and practically the equivalent of being bald for an elf. :( I feel bad for the poor guy.

**Ravens Destiny**: I don't know, _does_ he? —smiles mysteriously—

**Madd Hatter**: Exactly. I'm glad everybody is approaching Elrohir's haircut with as much sympathy and appalledness (is that a word?) as I intended.

**AlabrithGaiamoon**: Eep! Run, Delwon! Oh, wait. I hate him as much as you do... —shrugs, picks up a toilet brush and joins the charge—

**Melisande Mab**: Yay! Thank you!

**Darkened Dreams**: Now that you mention it, I've _already_ beat up Katie, and _now_ I'm beating up Elrohir! lol

Thanks also to **Princess Siara**, **IwishChan**, **Doredhiel**, **Arlindor**, **theycallmemary** and **Erasuithiel**. You're all lovely people! Mwa!

**Please review**, while I go off and start reading Half-Blood Prince!


	14. Ask if There is Some Mistake

The day's search proved fruitless. In the evening Katie, no longer necessary in the kitchen, wandered out to the stable yard. As she arrived, Mithrandir was leaving. She watched him ride out, his strange staff tucked under one arm and his grey robes flapping behind him.

Arwen stood mildly watching his departure as well, her hands on her hips. It had apparently been her that had led his horse out for him. She rubbed her forehead with the back of one hand. Her working dress was a little dusty, and she wore heavier shoes than her usual graceful slippers. Lithorniel had told Katie that the ellith often wore leggings under their dresses when they worked with the horses. Katie had trouble imagining the great and graceful Lady Arwen serving the people who generally treated her with such deference, but really, it wasn't all that odd. Arwen was doing her part, just as everyone else in this difficult time. It was like some lady of the English nobility helping out the villagers during the blitz. Except that it was her own brother they were trying to save.

"Why's he leaving so soon?" Katie asked. Lossefalme had said he had just ridden in that morning from a long distance.

Arwen turned to her. "I do not know. Mithrandir has purposes we know not. But I think it touches upon my brother, for before he left, he told me to be of good hope."

Katie saw that a sorrowing light was in the elf lady's eyes. She longed to give her some word of hope, but she had none to give. Elrohir, she believed, had some role to play yet in the history of Middle-earth, but how could she be sure he would live to play it?

She herself was supposed to be the guarantee that one of her friends would survive—or at least, that had been the idea the first time she had come. But she had no guarantee that that was the cause of her stay here this time. And indeed, she had been her much longer this time than the last. That had been about ten days; this was gaining on the three-month mark.

Elrohir himself (Katie gulped a bit at the thought) would have told her to trust in Ilúvatar, that he knew what he was doing. But she couldn't help feeling more than a bit helpless, and very useless.

000

Elrohir must've passed out again, and was coming to slowly. The pain was the first thing he was aware of, and he groaned.

"Ah, awake at last, are we?" a voice spoke from above him.

Elrohir, from his position on his stomach, couldn't turn his head far enough to see his interlocutor, but he was pretty sure it was Garaveg.

Well, he wasn't going to grovel here at the feet of his captor. Despite his burning ribs, Elrohir put his hands flat on the floor and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees.

His valiant gesture was in vain. Garaveg simply gave him a good kick in the stomach, and Elrohir collapsed again. It was a small measure of relief to him that he landed on his back this time. At least the pressure was off his ribs—although the kick certainly hadn't helped them any. He shut his eyes tight, trying to keep breathing.

Garaveg chuckled. "Your family is out searching for you," he said conversationally.

Elrohir opened his eyes and looked up at him. Garaveg was leaning against the pillar with his arms crossed, lazily gazing down at his captive.

"Yes, your brother has been out here hunting all day. He will wear himself out if he is not careful. Rides around, looking like a thundercloud. Your sister and father are probably no more cheerful, are they?"

Elrohir ignored him and concentrated on slowing his breathing to a less painful speed.

"I think they will be even less cheerful by the time we are done… In fact, I think they will be dead," Garaveg said blandly.

Elrohir tried to continue to ignore him, but felt himself blanch. Garaveg was probably lying, after all—just trying to get a rise out of him. _Well, he won't succeed_, Elrohir thought wryly, _we have just proven that I cannot at present rise anyway_.

000

Katie was not there to see Elladan's return that evening, but Arwen was. She was just tidying up one more thing at the stable before she went and got some rest, when the sound of hooves was heard, and her eldest brother rode up.

"Elladan!" she exclaimed, holding his horse as he dismounted. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, but his expression was grim. "No sign of him?" Arwen asked in a low voice.

Elladan shook his head. "None," he said in an equally quiet tone. They stood silently together for a moment, Elladan with his arm around his sister's shoulders.

Finally Arwen shook herself. "You have been searching all day; you surely need a rest, and some food. There should be plenty in the kitchen; I'll take care of your horse."

"_Hannon le, muinthel-nín_," Elladan said gratefully, gave her another quick peck, and strode off in the direction of the house.

Another elf approached as Arwen led the horse into the stables. He opened the stall door for her and helped her take off the saddle and bridle.

"Thank you, Sadron," she said as he began pitching hay while she poured out some water for the tired beast.

"_Sa gell nîn, Hiril-nín_," he answered simply. "I know you will want to spend time with your brother."

When Arwen walked into the kitchen, Elladan was sitting at the table, staring distractedly at the piece of bread in his hand. She walked in behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up.

"I believe you could use a rest," she said with a small smile.

"I could, but I do not want to rest too much," he said, putting down the bread and stretching out stiff shoulders while she took a chair across from him. "I want to go back out and start searching again. I am confident that we can find a sign of him."

000

But Elladan's confidence seemed misplaced. All the next day they searched, and found nothing. The elder twin returned in the evening, saying barely a word to anyone, and looking angry. Luckily, everyone knew that was just his way of dealing with his worry, and put no store by it if he seemed snappish.

Arwen continued to help in the stables, and Katie in the kitchens. Cooking was something she actually knew how to do at home, unlike some of the other tasks she could've taken on here, and although it was a very different thing without electricity, she was managing alright. Mostly, she just tried to stay out of everyone's way. When Elladan returned, she took one look at his face and left him alone. It was obvious that no progress had been made, and she didn't want to bother him.

The search party began to spread out, combing the countryside far and wide in search of their missing comrade. But not a single sign more could they find.

The report came back that Mithrandir had been seen heading at a good speed toward the Trollshaws, but what he was planning on doing there, no one seemed to be hazarding a guess.

All in all, Rivendell was not the pleasant place it usually was, and the tension was palpable.

000

It was difficult for Elrohir to keep track of the time in that cellar where no light shone. His captors didn't help the situation any. They seemed to take an unholy glee in aiming a kick at him every time they passed, and some of them landed on his head. They seemed to hope to keep his wits addled and his body weakened enough that he could not run from them nor fight them.

Unfortunately, it seemed to be working.

He tried to count the meals that they took (himself not included, as his captors gave him nothing to eat), but he rather thought their eating schedules weren't regular, and he was unconscious enough of the time that it was difficult to keep track.

So he didn't know what day or time of day it was when two of the men took his arms and hauled him to his feet, tying his hands behind his back. It was the first time he had been upright for days, and his head spun sickeningly.

The cellars seemed to have been filling with men for the last couple days, and now most of them were trying to crowd into this, the main room. The men on either side of Elrohir held him upright, and he gazed around the room in dismay.

Near the stairway, Delwon stood with a man Elrohir recognized as Radek. He had seen him in conversation with Delwon and Garaveg several times. He was a long, lean man with a slight hare-lip and keen eyes of a brown so dark they were almost black. He was rough-spoken and said little, but he observed everything. Garaveg was nowhere to be seen.

The men seemed to be restless, ready for action. They murmured amongst themselves. With his sharp hearing, Elladan caught a few snatches of conversation.

"D'you suppose Garaveg's in position yet?"

"Oh, surely. We won't know, though. Only Delwon'll hear 'im."

"Look, there he goes up the stairs!"

Indeed, Delwon had mounted to the top of the stairs, up where Elrohir was sure there must be a trap-door. The room quieted, and Delwon turned his head as if listening.

After a minute, he said, "There! The signal. Now we must wait a little while to make sure the area is clear, and we will march!"

There was a muffled cheer.

Elrohir had a bad feeling that had nothing to do with his broken ribs.

000

It was getting on toward evening, and no one had seen any signs of Elladan or the rest of the search party. Katie, having a break from the work in the kitchen, had come out to the stable yard, and now she and Arwen stood watching the sun go down.

"Come," Arwen said suddenly, "they will be returning soon. How about we go down to meet them?"

Katie agreed, and Arwen went and saddled a horse. Katie rode behind Arwen, as they didn't want to use any more horses than they had to. The ones in the stable might be needed.

The air was pleasantly warm as they trotted out beyond the house and into the trees. The last lights of sunset cast strange and beautiful colors on the wood, and a bird was singing somewhere up high. The horse tossed his head happily. Katie felt she could almost agree. If it weren't for the present situation, it would have been a beautiful evening.

The sun slipped below the horizon as they drew near the Ford. The birds ceased their noise and the gaps between the trees grew dark with twilight. Suddenly, Arwen stopped the horse, listening.

"There is someone coming," she said to Katie, "and it is not the search party."

**TBC**

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**AN:** _Sa gell nîn, Hiril-nín:_ It is my pleasure, my Lady. You would not believe how long it took me to find the Sindarin for "You're welcome"…

Retraction: When Elrohir called Katie "gwethel"—that should've been "gwathel". I need to learn to check my Sindarin, even if I'm sure of myself…

**Ravens Destiny**: I would like to point out for clarification that my reply was neither an affirmation nor a denial of your theory. :)

**Fk306**: Yeah, Delwon just kind of dropped it on the floor.

**werewolflemming**: Finished HBP yesterday. Well, I was wrong on who I thought the hbp was (although it was my second guess) and I was wrong about who I thought Harry would end up with (although I'm really not surprised) and I love what happened with Remus at the end! —adores Remus—

**Laer4572**: Yes! Angst! Always fun stuff. :) Thanks!

**Darkened Dreams**: Well, this chapter is about a third to a half of a page longer than usual.

**FallenTruth**: —knowing look— Glad to see you're paying attention! Yes, the ending of HBP was very shocking. I always thought the bad guy was gonna turn out to be alright in the end, but boy was I wrong! _Mae govannen_, always happy to see a new face!

Thanks also to **IwishChan**, **Madd Hatter** and **Arlindor**. —does the happy review dance—

Ever heard the joke about **View and Re-View**?. :)


	15. His House is in the Village

The search party was spread out far and wide in the trees when they heard the sound. Every elf's head shot up at the tone.

An elf-horn blowing to the west.

They were off in an instant, riding toward the sound of the horn. Was it Elrohir, calling for help? Or perhaps one of their number had found the twin at last, or was under attack?

They sped off, leaving the Ford unguarded in their haste, and not a single elf to watch the road toward Rivendell.

000

While waiting for the signal to move out, the men gagged Elrohir and tied a rope around his neck, leaving a long lead. One of the men was chuckling nearby.

"Smart o' them elves, havin' Garaveg blow an elf-horn. Ev'ry elf in the area'll follow that sound. They won't stop to think about the possibility somebody might cross the Ford—'cause who can get across the water with that magic spell on it?"

Elrohir gulped. So _that_ was the signal. And Garaveg was right, if most of the remaining _ellyn_ of Rivendell were out searching for him, the sound of one of their own horns would bring them from all over the vicinity. They would have no reason to doubt it was one of their number; they would've never guessed that Delwon and Garaveg were with these bandits, or that one of them would've taken a horn with them into exile.

Elrohir was marched up the stairs and through an area so dark he couldn't see what anything was. Ducking under some scorched beams, he came out into the light.

He would've rejoiced greatly at the sight, had the situation not been so dire. Finally, to see the lights of sunset again! For awhile he had despaired that he would ever feel the sun on his face again.

He turned to see the building they had just come out of. It was a ruin, burnt and falling down…

Dorlarth's hideout. They had been in the cellar of Dorlarth's hideout. That explained a lot.

The men all came out and stood in a large group. Perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but Elrohir had thought that, populous as this troop was, there had been still more men in the cellar—half again as many as stood here.

Delwon joined them, leading his horse out. Two or three others of the men had their own beasts, but the rest were going to walk. The rope around Elrohir's neck was tied to the pommel of Delwon's saddle, and Delwon mounted up.

"Remember to wait on the near bank for my signal, when I set off the marker," Delwon told Radek. Elrohir saw him touch something at his neck. "Even if Garaveg has not joined you yet, lead out the men. We will have need of them."

Radek nodded and stepped back, and they set out.

Elrohir followed after Delwon's horse the best he could, but he could feel himself stumbling and staggering along. Stopping was not an option; he did _not_ want to be dragged by his neck, and Delwon knew it. He would just have to keep on.

By the time they reached the Ford, his breathing was very unsteady. He didn't know how much longer he could keep up.

The sun had set below the horizon and the shadows were deepening, but Elrohir wasn't in the mood to enjoy it. All he could think was, _Why are they bringing me along?_

And then he knew. The bandit's comment about the river, the fact that Delwon hadn't killed him yet… They were going to get him in the water so that his presence would mask theirs and allow them to cross the Ford and attack Rivendell.

His suspicions were validated when Delwon stopped his horse right by the water's edge and all the men hung back. "Get in the water," he ordered Elrohir. The young lord looked straight ahead and feigned deafness. But Delwon had never really believed he would do it voluntarily. He gave him a swift kick in the back.

Normally, this wouldn't have done anything, but in Elrohir's current condition, with his balance shot and his legs so unsteady, he staggered forward and slipped on the wet rocks by the river's edge, ending up on one knee in the river. Before he could jump up and scramble out of the water, Delwon rode his horse forward.

The lead line tautened and held Elrohir where he was, in the river. "Push him in a little farther," Delwon ordered his men as they poured into the shallower water.

The men were quick to obey, and Elrohir found himself half-pulled, half-pushed farther into the river. He slipped on the algae-covered rocks and fell, going under.

There was a moment of shock at the cold, and of panic, and then he managed to scramble to his feet again, coughing and choking. The gag in his mouth had been soaked, and he could barely spit out the water he had inhaled. He felt like he was drowning. By the time he managed to catch his breath again, his ribs feeling as if they were on fire, the bandits were across the water and Delwon was leading him forward again.

He tried to hurry up so as to beat Delwon out of the water and so bring the wrath of the river down on him (even though he knew if Delwon were swept away, he would be too), but he couldn't manage it. The horse beat him out of the river easily.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" one of the men said with a cruel laugh. "Now to make sure Radek and his men can cross as well—"

Something came down on the back of Elrohir's head, and darkness fell over him.

000

Katie and Arwen slipped as quickly and quietly off the horse and they could, and sneaked off the road into the trees. Once there, Arwen whispered something to the horse and put her hands on either side of its head, and it stood still as a statue, and as quiet.

They peered out of the trees in the failing light. A whole troop of men was striding quickly down the road toward Rivendell, an elf on horseback at their head. A million questions darted through Arwen's head—was that not Delwon, who had been exiled a year before? And who were all these men with him? Were they attacking Rivendell? How had they gotten through the Ford?

She glanced over at Katie. She girl's eyes were wide with fear and amazement, but she had stayed perfectly silent. She glanced back at Arwen and their eyes communicated; no words were needed.

When the last of the men had disappeared past a curve in the road, Arwen cautiously led the horse back out onto the road. Katie followed her, looking like she was about to start wringing her hands.

"They're the bandits!" she said in a strained whisper. "One of them was the guy who kidnapped me. They're attacking Rivendell!"

Arwen nodded. Her blood was rushing in her veins, but she was outwardly calm and thoughtful.

"We have to go and warn them!" Katie exclaimed, and moved toward the horse.

Arwen held out a hand to stop her. "We cannot," she said steadily. "There is no path between here and Imladris that will get us there before the bandits, and we cannot ride through them to try and reach my father. They would cut us down like weeds."

Katie was now bouncing with nervous energy. It would've been funny had it not been so dire.

Arwen made up her mind. "Come," she said. "I have a suspicion I know how they crossed the Ford."

Katie frowned in confusion as she followed her. "What do you mean?"

Arwen didn't answer; a lump was rising in her throat. She merely lengthened her stride and quickened her pace. Katie, with her shorter legs, had to jog to keep up.

At the riverside, Arwen scanned the edge in the pale and fading light. Her suspicions were horribly confirmed when she saw a figure lying crumpled on the near bank, his feet in the water.

Elrohir.

000

The sun had gone down, and Elrond headed down the corridor. He had slept little the past two days, his mind taken up with worry. And that worry had not lessened when his remaining son had failed to return at sundown as usual. In fact, _none_ of the search party had appeared this side of the Ford. He could only hope this meant that they were finally on Elrohir's trail, and not something direr.

A shout outside brought him up short. It was followed by more shouts, and the sound of a clang. Steel on steel.

The elf lord took to his heels in a moment, flying down the corridors to find a window. The sight that greeted his eyes was one he had not seen for centuries. Battle was being done in the courtyard.

The _ellith_ and the few _ellyn_ in the near vicinity had grabbed whatever weapons came to hand and were fighting desperately against a band of shady-looking characters. Elrond had barely had time to register this when Erestor was at his elbow.

"The bandits are attacking!" he cried. His sword was already drawn, and a light was in his eyes. Elrond didn't pause to answer, but flew to his study. His sword, Hadhafang, hung on the wall, its cold steel glinting in the pale light. Elrond snatched it up and ran for the courtyard.

Healer or not, it was time to take up arms again in defense of his people. His eyes shone with determination. He knew they were outnumbered by the foe. Nevertheless, neither he nor Imladris would go down without a fight.

**TBC**

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AN:** Do I have you on the edge of your seat yet? lol 

**werewolflemming**: Yes, as an artist on Elfwood put it, "Poor Remus. He's not happy. He's not healthy. He's not human. That's just gotta suck." Only prob with this thing with Remus in HBP is, it has now made my HP fic officially AU. Lol

**Fk306**: Only if they can find the cellar they're holding him in, which they have so far been unable to do, thanks to Delwon and Garaveg hiding their tracks so well.

Thanks also to **Laer4572**, **lunelwe**, **Erasuithiel**, **Yuk-Yuk**, **crazycatluver**, and **IwishChan**. You're all beautiful! lol

Tetho enni! (Write to me!—IE, **review**!)


	16. Promises to Keep

"Elrohir!" Arwen gasped and ran to him, Katie following behind, bewildered.

He lay crumpled where he had been deposited by the bandits, on his stomach on the bank of the Bruinen. His hands had been tied behind his back, and Arwen quickly cut the ropes with the small knife at her belt. He was wet and cold—and his hair had been cut off! Arwen choked back a sob and carefully turned him over.

They had gagged him, and she pulled the wet cloth out of his mouth, the tears running silently down her cheeks. Despite the dousing he had received, there were still traces of dried blood on his face, amongst a mottling of bruises, both old and new.

Katie stood by with her hands clapped over her mouth. "Why?" she finally managed to whisper.

"They needed him in the river in order to cross," Arwen said, keeping her voice steady. "That is why they left him half in the water, so that they could come back. But there was no need for them to treat him like this!"

She turned to the horse and called it over, then gave it a rarely used command. The horse knelt. Arwen put her hands under her brother's shoulders and knees, picked him up—she heard Katie gasp—and carried him over to the horse. Carefully, she placed him in the saddle and put his feet in the stirrups, then gave the horse the command to stand, gently. Setting her shoulder against Elrohir's side, she supported him in the saddle. "We must get him back to Imladris," she said. Standing at the horse's head, Katie nodded.

Suddenly, Arwen raised her head, listening.

"More horses approach," she whispered. "Quickly!"

Katie led the horse into the trees as swiftly and silently as she could, Arwen supporting her brother's weight by his side and keeping him balanced on the horse. They had just barely gotten into the protection of the trees when the sound of the party reaching the opposite bank could be heard.

They couldn't see who it was, but they heard splashing and the sounds of horses crossing the Ford.

Then the riders came even of them on the road, and both Katie and Arwen looked on in shock.

000

Somewhere, someone in Rivendell sounded a horn. At its clear notes, every elf in the valley jumped to their feet.

Elrond leaped into the fray, Hadhafang flashing in the light of the night-lamps. A number of _ellith_ had grabbed whatever weapons came to hand, and he fought beside them. Many a man would underestimate an _elleth _in that fight, and pay the price. From the corner of his eye, as he engaged a bandit in combat, he saw Lithorniel swinging a pitchfork, a determined fire in her eyes.

The few _ellyn_ who happened to still be in Imladris and not with the search party or the hunting party, came running from buildings all over the area, their swords glinting in their hands. Even the healers had joined battle, and Erestor was swinging his own blade skillfully. Even while he sliced and parried, Elrond found time to wish that Glorfindel and the rest of the warriors were there.

It was a fierce struggle, and both sides held their own. But Elrond knew that would not last long. Soon they would be overpowered.

A sound made him raise his head and glance toward the road. The sound of hoofbeats. His heart sank. Was this another troop of bandits, come to finish them off?

000

"Mithrandir!" Arwen cried. The wizard at the head of the column stopped, startled. The troop behind him halted as well. Katie's heart lifted as she and Arwen came out from their cover; she wanted to shout for joy. There in the band was Elladan, and Estel, and Glorfindel—as far as she could reckon, both the entire search party _and_ the hunting party. Almost all the _ellyn_ of Rivendell!

"Lady Arwen!" Mithrandir exclaimed. "What—"

And then it became clear to him, the identity of the slumped figure on the horse. A number of the _ellyn_ cried out and moved toward them, Estel and Elladan in particular, with expressions of dismay on their faces.

Hardly knowing what she was doing, Katie stepped between them and Elrohir. "No! You can't stop; you have to ride on. Rivendell is under attack!"

"_What?_" Glorfindel exclaimed. Mithrandir was the only one who didn't look in the least surprised, only grim.

"The bandits are attacking Rivendell _en masse_," Arwen clarified urgently. "Ride now!"

The sound of an elf-horn, giving the call for defense, rang out from Imladris. The party needed no further spur. As one, they urged their horses into a gallop and thundered down the road to the defense of their home.

The sound of their hoofbeats died away in the distance, and Katie heard a groan. She looked up, startled. Elrohir was coming to, and his injured face twisted in pain. Opening his eyes as best he could for the swelling, he looked down at the figure supporting him.

"Arwen," he whispered, his chest heaving as he struggled for air.

"_Shh. Yes, I am here, my brother_," Arwen murmured comfortingly in Elvish.

"The… the marker," he faltered.

"Do not talk," Arwen said. "We will get you back home—"

"No! Listen… to me," Elrohir said, as forcefully as he could manage, leaning heavily on her shoulder. "You have to… You have to tell Father. Delwon h… has a marker…"

Marker? What was that? Katie's brain flittered irreverently to Crayola, and she reined it back in sternly.

"Wears it… on a thong about… his neck," Elrohir managed. "Going to s… set it off as a… a signal to the others… They'll be… w-waiting on the… bank…" Arwen and Katie exchanged a worried look. _Others? _There were _more?_

Elrohir clutched his ribs with his free hand, his breathing heavy and ragged. He was shaking. There was obviously more he wanted to tell them, but he couldn't until he caught his breath.

"Katie, come here," Arwen said, and Katie took her place supporting Elrohir. She was much shorter than the _elleth_, and not nearly as strong, but she gritted her teeth and held the twin in place. Arwen bent down and ripped a wide strip off the hem of her skirt, the whole way around. Standing up again, she deftly bound it about Elrohir's lower chest, taking some of the pressure off of his ribs. Then she took back her place at his side.

Through all of this, Elrohir had not so much as acknowledged Katie's presence. His eyes were either determinedly locked on his sister, or drifting to gaze unseeing into the middle distance as he tried to calm his breathing. It was obvious he was not very aware of his surroundings, and that he was not doing well.

"Someone must…" (he paused to pant) "get Delwon's marker… D-don't let him… set it off. With the… _ellyn_ gone… won't be able to… fight off the rest…"

He didn't realize that the hunting party had returned, and Arwen wasn't going to confuse him with details. "Elrohir," she said, bringing his eyes back to her. "Do you know what this marker looks like?" Her voice was kind, but straight-forward, and put Katie in mind of the way nurses spoke to patients in the hospital. She sounded in control of the situation; it was very comforting.

Elrohir managed a small shake of his head. "No. All they said… Elf-magic… Don't get it… in the fire… Radek lost his… when the… thong… b-broke…" His eyes slide sideways and his eyelids drooped as he lost consciousness again, slumping sideways in the saddle.

"Here, hold him up," Arwen said. While Katie supported him, Arwen pulled Elrohir's foot out of the stirrup and mounted up behind him. When she was settled astride, she wrapped her arms around her brother and held him steady. "We have to get back to Rivendell, quickly." They set off eastward in the darkness.

000

Elrond's dismay turned to surprise and joy as he caught a glimpse of blue hat, of flying golden hair, of his sons' flashing eyes. With a great shout, Mithrandir's party rode down upon the bandits, who fled in terror at the sight of them. Estel interceded between Lithorniel and the bandit who seemed close to overpowering her, and cut him down. A flurry of cries, the pounding of hooves and the sounds of steel on flesh, and the battle was won in minutes. A few of the bandits managed to flee into the trees, and then the foe was gone.

An exchange of exclamation filled the air. Elrond strode over and greeted Mithrandir warmly, clapping a hand on Glorfindel's shoulder and embracing his sons. "Is this what you left to do?" he asked Mithrandir. "To gather the hunting party? And where were the searchers?"

Mithrandir looked troubled. "There will be time to explain all that later."

"Father," Elladan said, and paused.

"What is it, _ion-nín_?" Elrond asked quietly. Both Elladan and Estel looked as grim as Mithrandir.

"We met Arwen and Katie on the road," Elladan told his father. "They had Elrohir with them. Father—he is not well."

Elrond's heart leaped in his chest at the sound of his son's name, but his stomach clenched as the import of Elladan's words sank in. Terrible images flashed across his sight, images that had troubled him waking and sleeping ever since Elrohir had disappeared. Celebrían, his beautiful wife… Elladan riding in to Imladris with his mother, senseless, cradled in his arms… The remembered horror in her eyes when she turned them upon him…

He shook himself and found his voice again. "Let us send someone to help them bring him in," he said steadily.

**TBC**

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AN:** Pshew. But it ain't over yet! 

_ion-nín_: My son

"For instance, the arts of healing, and all that touches on the care of the body, are among all the Eldar most practised by the nissi (female elves); whereas it was the elven-men who bore arms at need. And the Eldar deemed that the dealing of death, even when lawful or under necessity, diminished the power of healing, and that the virtue of the nissi in this matter was due rather to their abstaining from hunting or war than to any special power that went with their womanhood. Indeed in dire straits or desperate defence, the nissi fought valiantly, and there was less difference in strength and speed between elven-men and elven-women that had not borne child than is seen among mortals. On the other hand many elven-men were great healers and skilled in the lore of living bodies, though such men abstained from hunting, and went not to war until the last need."—The Laws and Customs Among the Eldar

(I put it out once again, that if you'd like a copy of this emailed to you, I'd be more than happy to do it. However, since the site doesn't allow you to put email addresses in reviews, I think you'll have to email me first and I'll send it back. My address is on my bio page (which can be reached by clicking on "JennyJoy4" at the top of this page.))

**werewolflemming**: I very much _want_ to update the HP, but I'm a bit stuck. I'm at the dueling meet, and I have no idea how something like that would be set up. So I'm kind of in deep water. I need to just pull it up and work out of that problem, though, because I've got like, the entire fic and a good deal of the sequel worked out already!

**lunelwe**: Elrond any good at fighting? My dear reader, he was herald for Gil-galad in the battle of the Last Alliance! lol But you're right, he may be a bit out of practice…

Thank you also to **IwishChan**, **theycallmemary **and **FallenTruth**. I had this chapter written last night, and I only updated so soon because you all asked so nicely. :) Very proud of myself, writing three chapters in one day!

**Review**, v: To write or give a critical report on (a new work or performance, for example). Hint-hint. :)


	17. The Only Other Sound

Katie was deep in thought as she walked swiftly alongside Arwen's horse. Something in Elrohir's words had snagged in her mind. Somebody named Delwon wore a "marker" on a thong around his neck. "Radek" had lost one when the thong broke. It was elf-magic, used to signal the "others", who would be waiting on the far bank for the signal to cross the Ford.

There had been no one on the other side of the river when Mithrandir's party came through, but that didn't mean they were headed that direction, and in fact, it had been several minutes and it was quite possible they were there already.

Elrohir hadn't known that the _ellyn_ had returned to Rivendell; he was worried that Delwon would set off the marker to call in reinforcements, and they would be overrun. But there was something Elrohir hadn't thought of. His own presence in the water was what had allowed Delwon to cross, and they had left him there. Arwen said it was for the return journey. But it was just as possible that he had been left there so that the others could cross as well! With Elrohir gone—and it was so dark now that the reinforcements wouldn't be able to see if he were there or not—the river would take care of the bandits before they ever reached Rivendell. The bandits were a threat; they needed to get rid of them, get them to enter the river. They needed to set off the marker.

At this point in her musings, Katie heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching and looked up. Three riders were bearing down on them—Estel, Elladan and Glorfindel. Katie stepped aside so that Estel and Elladan could pull up on either side of Arwen's horse.

"_Muindor-nín_?" Elladan said quietly, touching his twin's battered face. But there was no response.

"Let us not stop here," Estel said in a low voice. "We must get him to Lord Elrond as quickly as possible."

The others agreed, and Glorfindel offered Katie his hand and pulled her up behind him. They became silent, but for the quiet constant sound of Arwen murmuring comfortingly to her brother in Elvish. Katie's mind flew back to its earlier thoughts.

They had to find Delwon's marker. If Delwon escaped the battle, Elrond was going to have to send somebody to hunt him down, and they probably wouldn't find him. But if Delwon had been killed, perhaps he was still wearing it? As for how to set it off—it was "elf-magic", wasn't it? Someone would surely know how it worked. And they had to set that marker off quickly, before anyone who might've escaped the fight got to the Ford to warn the others. Speed was imperative.

As they entered the torchlight of Rivendell, a crowd hurried up to them, Elrond at the fore. Elrohir was carefully lowered from Arwen's horse, and Elladan carried swiftly into the house, Elrond leading the way. But Katie caught Erestor's sleeve before he could follow.

"Which one is Delwon?" she asked urgently. Erestor, startled didn't answer her immediately, but Arwen and Mithrandir joined them. "There are more bandits waiting on the other side of the Ford for a sign to attack. Elrohir told us Delwon wears a marker around his neck. We have to find it and set it off."

"He is right over here," Erestor said immediately, and headed for one of the bodies on the ground. Katie turned her face away; she didn't want to see any more dead bodies. That had happened enough on her last visit to last her a lifetime.

After a moment, he returned. "There is nothing," he said, puzzled.

An _ellon_ Katie recognized as Sadron appeared to have overheard this conversation. "When Delwon fell, one of the bandits snatched something from the front of his tunic and fled," he offered. "It must've been the marker."

Katie threw up her arms in a helpless and frustrated gesture and turned away. She thought she was finally going to be able to help, finally going to do the thing she had been sent to do, by putting all the pieces together.

But it wasn't over yet. Her mind kept coming back to what Elrohir had said: _Radek lost his when the thong broke_.

Katie clapped her hands over her mouth and her eyes widened. "What is it?" Arwen asked her, concerned. Katie shook her head, thinking furiously. Did it fit? Was it possible?

"I know where it is!" she burst out, then turned on her heel and ran for the house.

Arwen took a step after her, then stopped. "What does she mean?" she asked the others, who shook their heads. Mithrandir looked thoughtfully after the strange girl.

Katie flew down the corridors as fast as her skirts and her legs would permit. She ducked and dodged around a number of elves she encountered in the lamplight, finally skidding to a stop and racing into her own quarters.

Where had Lithorniel put her clothes? She pulled out one of the drawers in the dresser and started flinging things everywhere. Not that, not that, not that… Where on earth were her own clothes? The ones she had arrived in?

She pulled out another drawer and started rummaging. There! Jeans, a tshirt… and her hoodie.

Praying her personal effects had been left where they were found, she stuck her hand in the pocket of the sweatshirt. Nothing. She tried the other, and her fingers closed around the object she was hunting.

Barely taking a moment to cry, "YES!" triumphantly, she dashed out of the room and retraced her earlier path back to the courtyard.

"I've got it!" she cried, hurtling toward the small group, who still stood where she had left them. Coming to a screeching halt in front of them, she held out the object to them.

Mithrandir took it gingerly and examined it. It was a small wooden pendant on a leather thong.

"I found it in the woods when I came!" Katie gasped out. "Well, actually, I landed on it. Elrohir said Radek lost his in the woods when the thong broke. Look," she said, pointing to the torn place in the leather. "This is it!"

"Perhaps," Gandalf said, turning the object over.

"I know it is," Katie said with assurance. "It has to be."

Gandalf didn't question how she knew, only looked at her green eyes glinting with triumph. He didn't need to know how, but it was obvious she knew it anyway.

"But how do we set it off?" Erestor said, looking intently at the marker. He had obviously never seen something like this before, and no one else looked any more confident than he.

Katie paused only a moment before saying, "Burn it."

"What?"

"Burn it! Elrohir said not to set it off—not to get it in the fire. We have to burn it!"

Once again, she seemed completely sure. So without further ado, Gandalf touched the end of his gnarled staff to the marker in his hand, and set it alight.

The others fell back, startled, as something shot into the air and exploded in a brilliant flash of light, like fireworks or a flare gun. Katie jumped and gave a little yelp.

Far away, the elves heard the sound of a shout, of many voices calling. Then a pause—and the slow, mounting sound of rushing water. Screams of terror pierced the night air as the river rose and plunged over the remaining bandits, dashing them against the rocks of their own greed and drowning them in their own selfishness.

The slavers were never seen again.

000

Elladan laid Elrohir down on his own bed and opened the front of his tunic. He and Estel both gasped at what they saw there. Elrohir's chest and stomach were absolutely covered in a terrible collage of purple and black bruises and a number of old lacerations. It was obvious that at least a couple of his ribs had been broken, signified by the swelling around them.

Further removing his tunic revealed more wounds and signs of a beating so extensive, Elrond was amazed that more of his bones had not been broken than just a few ribs. He rubbed some salve onto his son's bruises whilst Elladan washed the dried blood off of his face. Finishing, the elder twin smoothed what little hair Elrohir retained off of his forehead.

"Brutes!" he said in a choked voice. "They could have at least left his hair alone!"

Both he and his father jumped and turned toward the window as they saw a flash and heard a loud sound from the courtyard. Leaving his brother's bedside for a moment, Elladan ran to the window and looked out.

"I think it was something Mithrandir did, though I cannot tell why," he reported, coming back to his father. "I am sure they will tell us later."

000

Katie felt a strange sense of elation as the marker went off, and she knew from the expressions on the faces around her that they had succeeded. For a moment she stood perfectly still, waiting for the sound of bells. But none came.

The shock and disappointment ran through her like ice. That had been it, hadn't it? The reason she had come? Ilúvatar had dropped her down in the middle of the forest in the snow so that she would slip and land on the marker and take it into Rivendell, and use it to protect the elven lord's people. She had done that. So why had she not disappeared? The fire of anger took the place of the icy feeling. What more did he want from her?.!

She realized that Arwen had taken her arm and was saying her name, and she shook her head, coming back to the present.

"Katie," Arwen said commandingly, and was relieved to see the girl turn and focus on her. The strangest expressions had flitted across her face and instant before, and Arwen wondered if she were ill or in shock. But the eyes that lit upon her face were clear and aware, though strange emotions broiled in their depths.

"Come, let us go inside," Arwen said. The _ellyn_ were clearing the bodies from the courtyard, and it was preferable to leave. Besides, she wanted to be in the house when her father was finished working over Elrohir, so that she could find out his condition.

Katie nodded, understanding. "Yes," she repeated almost to herself in a disappointed voice, "let's go in."

_Exodus 14:13-14, 27-28_

**TBC**

**

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AN:** Aaaand the cliffies have it! The number of reviews on this fic is gaining on the ones for "Something Rotton in Rivendell"! lol 

**crazycatluver**: lol Oh, but cliffies are so much fun to write! And they're great for holding up the tension.

**Erasuithiel**: Yes, the idea of the river letting non-Rivendellians (I know, not a word…) cross the Ford as long as a Rivendellian was actually in the water was a plot point in a fic by Jay of Lasgalen. And I thought, You know, you could use that to make a very interesting fic… And so this plot was born!. :) And I definitely recommend **Jay of Lasgalen**'s stuff.

**werewoflemming**: Have spent a bit of time this morning writing the chappie for the HP fic, and hope to have it posted soon!

**Ravens Destiny**: I love it when reviewers start making predictions. It's always fun to see how far off or how close they are. My goodness, we're a bit sadistic, aren't we? lol

**Madd Hatter**: lol Refreshing to find an Elrond fangirl! You're a rare species, you know. I would pay to see Elrond kill somebody with his Eyebrows of Doom™. (Have you ever read the **Owner's Manual fics**? The Elrond one is particularly amusing, by **Allocin**.)

Thanks also to **Fk306** and **lunelwe**! Once again, reviewer demand caused this chapter to be published quicker. :)

I'm running out of jokes. **Just review**. lol


	18. And Miles to Go

A number of people began to gather in the Hall, Arwen and Katie amongst them. Everyone spoke in low voices. They all wanted to hear news of Elrohir. Katie reflected that it was like being in a hospital waiting room. She hated hospitals.

At length, Estel entered the Hall. Everyone immediately hushed and turned to him.

"Elrohir is not well, but he will recover with time," he said clearly. A collective sigh of relief was heard. "He has suffered three broken ribs and a number of cuts and contusions, as well as some blows to the head." He nodded to Arwen, who rose and followed him to her brother's room.

"Well, it is time for us all to have a rest," Lithorniel said at Katie's side. "It has been a long and eventful night."

Katie agreed. "Good night, Lithorniel."

"Good night."

000

Elrohir groaned the middle of the night, and Elladan leaned over his twin's bed. The family was taking turns keeping a watch over Elrohir, and he had taken the first shift.

Elrohir murmured something unintelligible, and Elladan took his hand. "Elrohir?" he said softly.

Gradually, Elrohir's eyes opened in the darkness, and his grip tightened a little on his brother's hand. "Elladan?" he said.

Elladan smiled in relief. "Yes, I am here."

"Where?"

"Home. You are home."

Elrohir closed his eyes again. "C-could I have some water?"

"Of course," Elladan said, jumping up and fetching him a drink. He supported Elrohir's head while his brother drank greedily.

When Elladan came back from putting away the cup, Elrohir caught his sleeve. "The marker," he said urgently. "Did you—?"

"It is alright," Elladan reassured him, taking his hand again. "It is all taken care of."

Elrohir relaxed again. He was silent for so long that Elladan thought he had fallen asleep when Elrohir spoke again. "Elladan? I do not want anyone to see me."

"The only ones who have seen you are Father, Estel, Arwen, and myself," Elladan reassured him.

"Good," Elrohir murmured, and fell asleep.

000

"Katie is in a terrible mood today," Erestor told Elrond. It was the next day, and they had met by chance in the gardens. After the usual greetings, the chief counselor told his lord of the thing that had been bothering him.

"How do you mean?" Elrond asked, as they began to pace slowly down the walk, side by side. "Was she rude to you?"

"Oh, no. Nothing of the kind. She is always most polite," Erestor reassured him. "But she frowned most of the way through our lesson, and never once did I see her smile. And generally, she is quite curious and asks a multitude of questions, but this morning she barely spoke. The only time she seemed to take any interest at all was when I told her how Elrohir was doing."

Elrohir had awoken at midmorning, and seemed much more aware. He asked about everything that had happened the night before. He seemed to understand everything they told him, which relieved some of his father's worry that the blows he had suffered to his head might have done permanent damage. As requested, only his family had been allowed to see him—Erestor had only learned of all of this second-hand. And apparently, the state of his appearance had been very much on the younger twin's mind, for he asked his sister to cut his hair.

"What?" she asked, startled.

"The long parts," he clarified. "They should be cut as short as the rest, so that it all grows out together."

It was a logical move, but one that Arwen hadn't wanted to make. Nonetheless, she carefully snipped off what long hair her brother had left and piled it tenderly on the dresser. When she left the room, there were tears in her eyes. Erestor had met her in the hall and asked what the matter was, which was how he had gotten such a detailed report of the young lord's progress.

"He is certainly much improved," Arwen had concluded, managing up a smile. "I think we needn't worry about his recovery, though it may be slow."

Erestor related to Elrond how he had repeated these tidings to Katie. "She seemed much relieved; it obviously took a weight off her mind. But I believe she is angry about something, and I cannot discover what it is."

"Perhaps it is just her age," Elrond suggested. "Many young people become angry for slim reasons. Estel did, at one time."

"Estel outgrew that stage long before he was Katie's age," Erestor countered wryly.

Elrond smiled. "But Katie" he searched for a kind way to say it "is perhaps not so mature as Estel."

Erestor chuckled. "That is a polite way to put it. Yet she is growing up. I believe her experiences here have made her more mature. The longer she is with us, the more respectful and thoughtful she seems to become. Regardless," he said, returning to the original subject, "even an adolescent is never angry about _nothing_, though the catalyst may seem small to others."

Elrond agreed. "If her bad mood continues, I may speak to her about it." Their conversation turned to other things.

000

Katie's bad mood did continue. She was quiet and almost sullen the whole way through dinner. She was seen heading out into the gardens a few minutes after she had left the table, and Elrond moved as if to follow her. Elladan stopped him.

"I will go and talk to her," he said. "I think you might intimidate her a bit; she is probably more likely to open up to me."

Elrond agreed, and Elladan slipped out the door.

He found Katie sitting on the bench she had occupied the very first morning she had arrived in Rivendell, when Elladan and Elrohir had begun to tell her about the place she had come to and the people she had come amongst. It seemed quite long ago now. Katie was sitting with her arms folded, regarding a flower before her with a grim expression that suggested it had just insulted her.

He took a seat beside her, and she moved over a little to make room for him. After a very basic greeting, she resumed her earlier position.

"Katelyn, are you angry with me?" Elladan asked mildly.

Katie looked up, startled. "No!" she answered quickly.

"Perhaps you are angry with Erestor then?"

"No, I'm not!"

"Or with Elrohir?"

"Of _course_ not!" she replied, horrified.

"Then who are you angry with, _Penneth_?"

She crossed her arms again and wouldn't look at him. For a moment he thought she wouldn't answer. "Ilúvatar," she finally said.

Elladan watched her, concerned, but said nothing.

"I did what he wanted me to do!" she exclaimed. "I used the marker, I did my part. Why am I still here? What more does he want from me? I wish he'd just _tell_ me already and get it over with!" She slouched down further in her seat, defiantly.

"So you would 'do your part', go home… And then what?"

"I'd be done," she said sullenly. "I'd be done carrying out missions and having the feeling that I'm supposed to be doing God-knows-what to save the world."

"And you think it would all be over once you were back in your own world?" Elladan asked gently.

"Of course it would. Your father said Ilúvatar was the only one who could've brought me here, and so he must have some purpose for me. When he let me go home, the purpose would be finished."

Elladan was quiet a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Do you think that he only has plans for you here, in Middle-earth? Do you think he has no plans for you in your world?"

Katie regarded him with surprise. He continued.

"Katie, the Children of Ilúvatar were created in order to fulfill Ilúvatar's purposes in the rest of creation. This must hold true of your _Ëa_, as well. The story of your life as a tool of Ilúvatar did not begin with the first time you set foot in Middle-earth, and will not end when you leave it for the last time. It is all of your life, Katie. You are a dynamic force in the world, because of your freewill. You are an independent chooser. You do things, you affect things. And even if Ilúvatar sent you home, it would not mean that you would have finally 'done your part' and could stop. If you plan to serve Ilúvatar, it is a lifelong mission you have embarked on."

Katie's shoulders slumped again, but in defeat this time. "But how am I supposed to know what he wants me to do?" she asked. "How do I know I'm doing the things that will lead to me fulfilling his purposes?"

Elladan shook his head. "Ilúvatar does not speak to us in words, saying, 'Do this, do that.' Elves, we serve the Valar, who once saw a vision of part of the purposes of Ilúvatar, and so can lead us. Humans are not ruled by the Valar. All I can tell you is, do what your conscience tells you is right, for Ilúvatar would not ask us to do what was wrong. Keep doing the right thing to the very best of your abilities; that is all you _can_ do."

They sat silently, side-by-side, as the shadows deepened on the flowers and the trees. Katie glanced over at Elladan as the sun had finally set, and saw how he glowed in the twilight, like a star. His face was so beautiful and noble it made her want to cry. She realized, now, how young she was in comparison to himself, how childish. He had a childlike spirit sometime, and was playful and cheerful with her. But he was old almost beyond her understanding, and very high above her. He had spoken to her as a wise adult to a child. Surprisingly, it didn't make her resentful; she didn't feel that he was looking down on her. She felt protected. He really was like an older brother to her.

"Elladan…" she began hesitantly. He looked down at her, a kind smile curling his lips.

"_Hannon le_," she said sincerely.

He smiled as merrily as a child. "_Sa gell nîn, gwathel-nín_," he replied.

**TBC**

**

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AN:** This chapter took a bit longer than the last couple to write, as I wasn't entirely sure what was going to happen. I dreamed about Elrohir all night. lol Now you _know_ I'm obsessed… There was something about Arwen and Gimli running around in rain puddles, too. But the dream also involved me having to spit out my chewing gum on a lawn chair, and trying to teach "Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall" to a bunch of kids, and having to rise at the pledge of allegiance and being in a big, wet state park and funky things like that. So my dreams are crazy to begin with. 

ANYWAY.

crazycatluver: That was actually a rather accurate guess!

RavensDestiny: Is it King James? That makes a _lot_ of people's brains ache… Yes, I love online Bibles, because they have search engines! Make things much easier to find.

FallenTruth: GROUP HUG!. :ahem: Sorry, I lose control _answering_ reviews! lol

Thalion: Yes, actually, wanting to keep an eye on Elrohir's recovery is part of the reason I decided Katie needed to stay in Rivendell. Morgoth's Ring is very good; it's got the "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" in it, which will be used extensively in the next sequel.

Thanks also to IwishChan, Madd Hatter, theycallmemary, and werewolflemming! —does another group hug—

Chapter, shmapter. **Review already**!


	19. Gives His Harness Bells A Shake

One morning when Elrohir awoke, he found Estel sitting across the room, looking out the window. He turned when he heard Elrohir shift.

"Ah. Good morning, _muindor-nín_," he said, standing up and coming over. "How do you feel?"

Elrohir pushed himself gingerly up into a sitting position. "Very sore," he answered honestly, "but much better, for all that."

Estel took a good look at his brother. The cuts on his face were nearly healed now, and the bruises had mostly faded to yellowish and greenish patches. The bruises on his chest and stomach, visible through his open tunic, were a darker and more foreboding color, but they also looked better than they had. Elrohir still wore a wide bandage bound tightly about his lower chest to take the pressure off of his ribs as they began to heal.

As Estel watched, the twin reached up to scratch his head, and a strange expression flitted across his face as he touched his shorn hair. But all he said was, "I could certainly use a bath."

Estel laughed, and began making arrangements to procure him one. When he returned to the room afterward, he discovered Elrohir sitting up in a chair, clean and dressed and looking relatively cheerful. Estel carried in a tray bearing two breakfasts and set it down on the dresser next to him. He pulled up a chair, and the two of them fell to.

"Katie has been asking about you," he said during a lull in the conversation.

Elrohir moved a bit of egg around his plate aimlessly.

"Has she," he finally said.

"Yes," Estel said firmly. "She wants to see you."

"You didn't—" Elrohir began.

"I told her you did not want any but the family to see you," Estel assured him. He watched the twin from under his brows.

"Well, I don't," Elrohir repeated, then turned the subject.

000

"Katie!" Erestor said abruptly. Katie jumped.

"Oh. What?"

Erestor smiled and shook his head. "I can see you are preoccupied. Care to share?"

Katie grinned. "You sound like my old teachers." Erestor continued to watch her, waiting for an explanation. Katie's grin faded. "I want to see Elrohir," she said, "and they won't let me. I haven't seen him for several days, now."

"Lord Elrohir has not seen _anyone_ but his family," Erestor reminded her gently.

"I know," Katie said miserably. "But why?"

"Do you remember what I told you about elves and how we feel about our hair? The bandits cut off all of Elrohir's."

"Oh, I know," Katie said. "Remember? I've already _seen_ his hair. And I know he's embarrassed about it. But that doesn't mean he can just shut himself off in his room until it grows out!"

Erestor regarded her thoughtfully. "Come with me," he said, rising.

000

Elrohir sat on the couch, nearly dozing as he lazily watched the flames in the fireplace. He put forth a little more effort to stay awake, as he knew Arwen would be in to see him soon.

There was a gentle rap at the door. That would be her.

"Come in," he called.

A face he did not expect to see peeked in. She was around the door and had it shut behind her before he could say anything.

"Katie! What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," she said calmly. "I must say, you do look better."

He rose and took a couple steps toward her, angrily. "I do not want to see anyone at present. I ask you to leave."

Katie's face took on a hard look. "No," she said stubbornly, crossing her arms. She looked a bit like a petulant child. "You can't just hide in here until your hair grows back."

The words burned in him, and he turned away from her, pacing over to the window. He felt a twinge in his side, and leaned on the sill. With his hair short, he felt strangely naked. It was not a comfortable feeling. "What do you know about it?"

"Erestor told me how elves feel about their hair a month ago," Katie declared. "And I know I'd be really embarrassed if somebody shaved _my_ head. But I wouldn't just sit in my room all day and throw a tantrum if someone came to see me!"

He wheeled around to reply, but she cut him off. "No one is going to think any less of you because some jerkwad cut off your hair!" she exclaimed, exasperated, then paused. "They care about you. They love you, _gwador-nín_."

They locked eyes for a second, his grey ones angry and confused, her green ones annoyed but compassionate. He broke contact first and sank down onto the couch, putting his face in his hands.

He felt the next cushion depress as Katie sat down beside him. She didn't touch him. "Elrohir?" she asked quietly.

With a sigh, he looked up. "You are right. Forgive me. I just… felt so helpless in their hands…" He closed his eyes and shuddered at the thought. "And my hair was a symbol of that helplessness. And when people see me without it—I just feel like I am stripped of everything before them."

Katie put her hand on his shoulder. "You're not stripped of everything," she said, with a little catch in her voice between a laugh and a sob. "You're blanketed in love."

He turned and looked at her in wonder. There were tears in her eyes. "I don't know where that came from," she admitted, wiping them away.

Elrohir chuckled. "You have been around elves for so long, I think we are rubbing off on you," he said, drawing her into a hug. "Thank you, _gwathel-nín_."

They were silent for a minute. Then Katie stood up. "Well, dinner is in a few minutes; shall we?"

Elrohir stood as well, and they headed for the door. He felt a twinge of apprehension as they stepped out into the corridor, but he repressed it and concentrated on his companion.

"Katie," he asked solemnly, "_what_ is a jerkwad?"

Katie's laugh rang down the hall.

000

Everyone was indeed very pleased to see Elrohir again. There was a flurry of joyful greetings when he stepped into the dining hall. Some of the elves even cheered.

"It is good to see you out of your room, young one," Mithrandir said as he took his seat at the head table.

"It is good not to be staring at the same four walls," Elrohir replied wryly. Katie glanced over at Erestor, who startled her by winking. She answered with a brilliant smile.

After dinner, the people at the head table remained awhile to chat—Elrond, Arwen, the twins, Estel, Glorfindel, Erestor, Mithrandir and Katie. Katie was curious to learn more about Mithrandir; she hadn't spent any time in his vicinity yet except during meals.

Mithrandir seemed almost equally curious about her, and the conversation eventually turned to her unorthodox arrivals in Middle-earth and the Middle-earthlings' own travels in her world. Mithrandir asked Katie a multitude of questions about her world, and she answered them as best she could, the twins and Estel occasionally offering their own insights into the matter.

"It is most curious," Mithrandir finally said, leaning back in his chair and fiddling with his beard. "I have never heard of such a thing occurring before. To travel from one _Ëa_ to another!—most of the wise would deem it impossible."

"And yet it happened," Elladan added. He gave a little laugh. "I witnessed it the first time."

Katie's face went red and she and Elladan laughed, although no one else at the table understood what was funny.

"I wonder if it ever happened to anyone else, and it just never got into the history books?" Katie offered.

"I do not see how it could _avoid_ being in the… history books," Erestor said, using her own term.

Katie's eyes narrowed. "You're not writing about _me_, are you?"

Erestor laughed. "Not yet."

Katie shot him a bit of a _look_, and the others laughed. They were all in a very merry mood, thanks to their escape from danger and Elrohir's joining them.

Mithrandir pulled them back to the original subject. "So you say that you simply heard a sound like bells, and then suddenly you were someplace entirely different?" Katie nodded. "I would like to see that," he said.

Katie smiled knowingly. "Be careful what you wish for; you—"

She stopped as she heard a funny sound. She barely had time to think, _Here we go!_ and expected any moment to find herself sitting on the road on the way to the soccer field. But the moment passed, and she remained in her seat. There was a collective intake of breath from the other side of the table. They were all staring past her. She turned in her seat to gaze in shock at the figure that had just appeared in Elrond's dining hall.

She stared, then stared again. "_Grandma?_"

**The End**

…or not.

**

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AN:** Hee hee. I enjoyed writing that ending. It seems this particular sequel has ended up the same length as the first, 19 chapters. The next sequel will be "A Mysterious Way" and will pick up right where this one leaves off. I think the end came a little sooner than I expected, but I'm not displeased with it. 

**Darkened Dreams:** Yes, the captivity was short, but it was longer than last time by at least a couple of days. I'm improving! Sorry, you won't find out the exact reason for her not going home for awhile, yet. It's a bit of a plot point.

**crazycatluver:** I lost my mind a long time ago. That's why I write. :)

**IwishChan**: I know! I totally agree. My brother can be nice, but he's never that cool. And he's not an elf. lol

**Laer4572**: lol Oh, once in awhile you get a straight answer. It's just generally not when you ask for it. :) Good observation on the hair thing! You know, I went to see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" last night, and they talked about a candy that would make your hair grow, and all I could think of was, I bet Elrohir would want some of that! So you're definitely not the only person who acts as if they live next door. :)

**theycallmemary**: Nobody knows exactly _how_ long Katie will be in Middle-earth, as usual. What Elladan was saying was, Katie can't just think she can do one thing and then be done forever with Ilúvatar's plans. She's always carrying them out, whether she realizes it or not. And the only guide she has on what to do is her conscience. Yes, I was thinking about the fact that Elrohir's hair is not too far off men's hair in our world right now, but at present it's much too short for Katie to cut it in any kind of style!

**Fallen Truth**: You get another hug, just for that! Thank you!

Thanks also to **Fk306** and **werewolflemming**! Hope to see everybody at the sequel! (Replies to reviews of this chapter will be at the bottom of the first chapter of "A Mysterious Way".)

**Please review**, my pretties!


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